A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ordered the Donald Trump administration to halt construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House, ruling that the president cannot fundamentally reshape the historic complex without congressional approval. The 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a preliminary injunction secured by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The ruling stops above-ground construction of the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which is being built on the site of the demolished East Wing. The court said national security concerns do not exempt the executive branch from following the law, while noting that construction could ultimately proceed if the White House obtains approval from Congress. The court has paused its ruling for 14 days to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump called the decision “horrendous” and politically motivated and said his administration would appeal. He has defended the project as a security necessity, citing planned bomb shelters, medical facilities and protection against drones and missiles. A dissenting judge appointed by Trump argued that the courts had overstepped their authority by blocking construction.
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