Court Blocks Trump's $400M White House Ballroom

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump cannot build a $400 million ballroom at the White House without congressional approval, blocking further above-ground construction on the project. The ruling comes after the National Trust for Historic Preservation sued last year over the demolition of the East Wing and lack of proper authorization.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a 2-1 decision affirming a lower court's preliminary injunction, with Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia in the majority opinion. They stated that 'Congress has full constitutional control over federal property' and that 'each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House.' The judges noted there was no authorization granting Trump the ability to construct the ballroom.

President Trump quickly responded on Truth Social, calling the ruling 'horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful' and announced plans to appeal directly to the Supreme Court. He argued that halting construction jeopardizes national security, though the court's decision allows work on an underground bunker to continue.

According to Salon, Trump rebranded the ballroom as a 'military center,' claiming it would enhance security for future presidents and guests. The administration defended the project as necessary for national security, asserting that the addition would protect against potential attacks on the White House complex. At 90,000 square feet, the proposed complex would be larger than an average Kohl’s department store.

The court stayed its decision for 14 days to allow an appeal to the Supreme Court. The National Trust celebrated the ruling, calling it a victory for historic preservation and democratic principles. The legal battle highlights tensions over presidential authority versus congressional control in federal property development.

In his Truth Social post, Trump quoted from Judge Neomi Rao's dissenting opinion and described plans for the facility to include bomb shelters, a hospital, medical facilities, 'Top Secret Military Facilities,' and other security features. The president argued that permission from Congress was unnecessary because public money was not being used to pay for it.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the lawsuit against the Trump administration, said Friday's decision affirmed 'the American people’s right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish,' including the White House. The appeals court panel upheld an April 16 order from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon for the administration to halt above-ground work on the ballroom.

Government lawyers have argued that the project includes critical security features to guard against a range of threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles, and biohazards. Attorneys for the preservation group countered that the lack of a White House ballroom doesn’t constitute a national security emergency.