US Appeals Court Halts Construction of White House Ballroom Project

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a 2-1 decision on Friday blocking the Trump administration from continuing construction on a 400 million dollar ballroom at the White House. The project, which involves a 90,000-square-foot facility, commenced after the administration demolished the site of the former East Wing. The court upheld a preliminary injunction previously secured by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued that the administration failed to obtain necessary authorization from Congress for the significant structural changes.

The court stated that a president acts as a temporary tenant of the White House rather than its owner and cannot unilaterally implement major modifications without congressional approval. President Donald Trump publicly condemned the ruling, labeling it a national disgrace, and announced his intention to challenge the decision before the US Supreme Court. The appeals court has placed its order on hold for 14 days to allow the administration time to file an appeal.