US appeals court blocks Trump White House ballroom project

A US federal appeals court has ordered Donald Trump's administration to stop construction of a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House's demolished East Wing. The ruling is a major setback for the president in a dispute over how far the executive branch can alter the White House without congressional approval. The court said the White House is not the property of any one president and cannot be fundamentally reshaped through executive action alone.

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The Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its decision in a 2-1 opinion. It upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the case after the East Wing was torn down and work began on an 8,360-square-metre ballroom. The judges said the question of whether such a large project should proceed is for Congress to decide, not for what they described as executive self-help.

The court put its ruling on hold for 14 days to give the administration time to seek review from the US Supreme Court. Trump said on social media that the administration would appeal and described the decision as politically motivated and "horrendous." He also said the project is needed for security reasons, calling it a "military center" and saying it would include bomb shelters, medical facilities, shielding from drones and missiles, and other protective features. The case matters because it goes to the limits of presidential authority over one of the most closely watched buildings in the United States.

The White House is both a working office and a historic site, and changes to it can raise legal, preservation and constitutional questions. The ruling also highlights the role of Congress in approving major alterations to federal property, especially when those changes are permanent and highly visible. The dispute has already moved through lower courts.

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US District Judge Richard Leon, appointed by former President George W. Bush, had twice blocked above-ground construction at the site while allowing underground work to continue. The appeals court decision now strengthens the preservation side of the case, at least for the moment, and places the next stage of the fight with the Supreme Court if the administration chooses to proceed.

What remains unclear is whether the Supreme Court will take up the case and whether any construction can resume while the legal challenge continues. The administration has argued that the ballroom is needed for large formal functions and for White House safety, while preservation advocates say the project should not proceed without proper authorization. The immediate focus is now on the 14-day pause and the possibility of a further emergency appeal.

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