The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2‑1 preliminary injunction that stops above‑ground construction of the 90,000‑square‑foot, $400 million White House ballroom and stayed the order for 14 days, giving the Trump administration a window to seek Supreme Court review.
Judges Patricia Millett and Brad Garcia wrote the majority opinion, while Trump‑appointed Judge Neomi Rao dissented. The injunction, first issued by Judge Richard J. Leon, was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argues the project violated the APA and NEPA. The Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, both populated with Trump allies, had approved the plan, and donors such as Amazon, Palantir, Lockheed Martin and Coinbase pledged private funds.
The ruling reinforces congressional authority over alterations to the White House, signaling that executive‑driven redesigns require legislative approval. It delays the $400 million construction schedule, postpones related security‑bunker work, and could affect pledged private contributions and political capital for the administration.
Trump maintains that much of the work is already completed and funded, labeling the decision politically motivated and a national‑security threat. The court rejected the administration’s national‑security justification, and the 2‑1 split reflects an unresolved dispute over the Trust’s standing and the scope of presidential authority.