A federal appeals court has ordered President Donald Trump to stop above‑ground construction of a $400 million, 90,000‑square‑foot ballroom on the former East Wing of the White House, ruling that congressional approval is required before the President can reshape the historic residence.
The D.C. Circuit judges Patricia Millett and Brad Garcia wrote the majority opinion, upholding a preliminary injunction filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The court placed the order on a 14‑day hold to allow the administration to appeal to the Supreme Court, while Trump branded the decision “horrendous” and pledged an immediate challenge.
The ruling reinforces the principle that the President is a temporary tenant of the White House, not its owner, and limits executive self‑help in altering federal landmarks without legislative consent. It signals heightened judicial scrutiny of future executive‑driven construction projects involving historic federal property.
The White House argues the ballroom includes critical security features—bomb shelters, drone and missile defenses—and is a “military centre” necessary for protecting the President and staff. The judges rejected that claim, stating national‑security arguments do not provide an automatic exemption from legal requirements.