Federal appeals court halts Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project pending congressional approval

After a federal appeals court halted construction of the White House ballroom on Friday, President Trump said he would appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. Taurean Small has more.

A high-stakes fight over the future of the White House took a sharp turn when a US federal appeals court ordered Donald Trump’s administration to halt construction of a $400 million ballroom planned for the site of the demolished East Wing, handing the Republican leader a major setback in a case that tests the limits […]

Washington, August 8, 2026: A US federal appeals court has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to halt above-ground construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House, handing him a major setback in a legal battle over the limits of presidential authority.The Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 that a President cannot fundamentally reshape the White House without approval from Congress. “Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House,” the court said, Reuters reports.US federal appeals court rules that President Trump must stop the construction of the $400 million White House Ballroom, with Trump calling the ruling as "national disgrace" pic.twitter.com/GTSMtphGuP— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) August 7, 2026Congress Must Have Its SayThe ruling upheld a preliminary injunction secured by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued after the administration demolished the White House’s East Wing and began building a 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-metre) ballroom without seeking authorisation from Congress.“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court’s majority wrote.The appeals court put its ruling on hold for 14 days, giving the Trump administration time to approach the US Supreme Court.The legal battle has turned what the administration presents as a security and functional upgrade into a larger constitutional dispute over how much authority a President has to make major changes to one of the country’s most prominent government buildings without congressional approval.Trump Calls Ruling ‘Horrendous’Trump said on Truth Social on Friday that his administration would appeal to the Supreme Court. He described the planned structure as a “military center” and argued that it was necessary for security.Trump called the appeals court decision “horrendous” and politically motivated, saying it left him, White House officials, and visitors exposed to possible attacks.“This unjust decision must be overturned by the Supreme Court in its entirety,” Trump wrote.He said the ballroom project includes bomb shelters, medical facilities, protection from drones and missiles, and other security features that are “all tied together as one big, expensive, and very complex unit”.Trump has increasingly argued that the project is a security necessity. His administration has also said the ballroom is needed to accommodate large formal functions while preserving safety at the White House.Historic Preservation Group Welcomes VerdictNational Trust President Brent Leggs welcomed the decision, calling it “a great day for our country and for the American people’s right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish, including the White House”.Trump had appealed after US District Judge Richard Leon twice blocked above-ground construction at the site while allowing underground work to continue. Leon was appointed by former Republican President George W Bush.The ballroom is the grandest of several efforts by Trump to reshape the landscape of government buildings and national monuments in central Washington.In a separate lawsuit, a judge recently ruled that Trump’s name had been illegally added to the exterior of the Kennedy Center performing arts venue and ordered its removal.National Security At Centre Of FightDuring arguments before the appeals court on June 5, Justice Department attorney Yaakov Roth said courts had no role in weighing the privately funded ballroom project.Roth argued that the National Trust’s “architectural preference” should not take precedence over national security concerns. He claimed there was evidence that the former East Wing had left the President and others inside the White House vulnerable to attack.Circuit Judges Patricia Millett and Brad Garcia, the Democratic-appointed judges who formed the appeals court majority, stressed that their ruling does not permanently prevent construction of a ballroom.Instead, the order stops above-ground work while the lawsuit continues and until the White House obtains approval from Congress.Also Watch: US Senate Passes Russia Sanctions Bill, Gives Trump Power To Impose 100% Tariffs On India, China Over Oil, Gas Imports | VideoFor now, the ruling leaves Trump’s ambitious project caught between his assertion of presidential authority and the court’s view that Congress must have a role in deciding major changes to the White House. With the administration preparing to approach the Supreme Court, the dispute is now poised to become an even bigger test of the boundaries of presidential power.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/

The Trump administration had requested $1 billion for the ballroom, which Congress refused in May.

More headaches for US President Donald Trump over his planned White House ballroom: a federal appeals court has ruled that the administration must halt the $400 million construction project, saying it has not been approved by Congress. The ruling follows a challenge by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sought an injunction against the project last year. A three-judge panel upheld that injunction in a 2-to-1 decision. Trump has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court. Camille Corcoran has more.

Order says Congress has not ceded authority to the Exec branch

According to a decision handed down Friday, Congress must approve alterations to the White House: ‘Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner’

A federal appeals court has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to halt construction on a ballroom project.

President Trump’s controversial plan to build an enormous ballroom adjacent to—and larger than—the White House just ground to a halt. A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., ruled on Friday that Trump’s ballroom construction isn’t lawful and must stop. In a 2-1 opinion, Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia asserted that “each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence,” thus Trump lacks the power to unilaterally rebuild the White House complex to his liking. “The President has no—and claims no—constitutionally assigned authority over that property, which is designed and maintained for the use of all Presidents, current and future, and for the American people,” the two judges, appointed by Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, wrote. Judge Neomi Rao, appointed during Trump’s first term, dissented. “We are aware of no instance in American history in which a President unilaterally and using privately collected funds demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized to be built and American taxpayers paid for,” the majority opinion stated. Friday’s order reinforces an earlier injunction attached to a lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to halt the project last year. The privately funded nonprofit argued that only Congress can legally approve of a major makeover to the White House’s structures, a position that the pair of judges who issued Friday’s ruling were sympathetic to. The ruling will put any above-ground construction on ice, but the Trump administration will have 14 days to appeal the decision. So far, the threat of legal speed bumps hasn’t slowed Trump’s big teardown. Construction is already well underway, and recent photos from the site of the now-demolished former East Wing show a massive construction project very much in progress.  Trump’s shifting ballroom story As the courts scramble to catch up to the construction scene at the seat of American democracy, the public still can’t get any straight answers about the project’s details. Trump initially claimed that the plan to install a massive ballroom wouldn’t involve any demolition, but he quietly authorized the building’s full destruction late last year.  “It won’t interfere with the current building. . . . It’ll be near it, but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” Trump said last summer. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles reassured critics that the president would work closely with organizations focused on historical preservation for the complex’s makeover. The demo took place in October to the shock of many Americans concerned about the optics of Trump’s decision to level and remake a major portion of the “People’s House.”  Trump’s justification for a ballroom large enough to dwarf the White House itself has also changed over time. The $200 million proposal initially focused on the appeal of a huge event space to rival Mar-a-Lago, the lavish Palm Beach, Florida, club where Trump entertains friends and allies. As the president encountered more resistance to his plan to erect a massive gold-trimmed party room, Trump and his legal team pivoted to argue that the construction project is actually necessary for national security.  Trump responded to the court’s decision Friday by claiming that the project is actually a key piece of military infrastructure designed to include a medical facility and a hospital, drone-proof ceilings, missile-resistant steel, and “top secret military facilities.” In a new Truth Social post, the president called on the Supreme Court to intervene and get his construction plans back on track. “The entire Complex, Military and all, is largely built, fabricated, and paid for,” Trump claimed. “This unjust decision must be overturned by the Supreme Court in its entirety.”  The full plan, now expected to cost north of $400 million, is reportedly being bankrolled largely by private donors and corporations seeking to win favor with the current administration. That’s just another red flag in a project littered with them, but one the president has often pointed to as a selling point that will save taxpayers from footing the bill. In spite of the private money pouring in—and its public story—the Trump administration quietly steered more than $350 million in federal funds earmarked for the Secret Service toward the ballroom construction project in June.

A federal appeals court has paused a high-profile White House construction project, setting up another major constitutional battle over presidential authority.

A federal appeals court has ordered the US president’s administration to halt construction of the $400 million project because it lacks congressional approval.

A US federal appeals court ordered President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing, dealing the Republican leader a major setback in a case testing his presidential authority. Trump said later on Friday he would appeal to the US […]

A federal appeals court says above-ground construction cannot continue without approval from Congress, siding with historic preservation advocates.

A US federal appeals court ordered Donald Trump's administration to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House's demolished East Wing, dealing the Republican leader a major setback in a case testing his presidential authority.

A federal appeals court ordered President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing, dealing the Republican leader a major setback in a case testing his presidential authority. “Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House” and...

The appeals court placed its ruling on hold for ​14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The appeals court sided with historic preservationists on Friday.

The US appeals court has demanded work stop on President Trump's ballroom, saying he is "a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House".

A federal appeals court has blocked the construction of President Trump's White House ballroom, saying the project requires congressional approval. CBS News' Jake Rosen reports.

In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction of the 8,400-square-metre ballroom without congressional approval.

In a 2-1 decision, the US Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction. The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

A three-judge panel ruled 2-1 to uphold the district court order to halt construction above ground

Work on the project began last year with the sudden demolition of the White House's entire historic East Wing.

Court says it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court

A federal appeals court on Friday ordered US President Donald Trump’s administration to stop construction of its $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House's demolished East Wing. The court added that a president cannot fundamentally reshape the White House without congressional approval. 

An appeals court ruled the administration lacks authority to continue above-ground construction without Congress.

A federal court has dealt a major blow to President Donald Trump's White House ballroom construction project, ordering it to be halted after a legal challenge.

A federal court has dealt a major blow to President Donald Trump's White House ballroom construction project, ordering it to be halted after a legal challenge.

In a 2-1 decision, a panel of DC circuit judges determined that "Congress has exclusive authority to regulate the construction and demolition of White House structures."

The appeals court placed its ruling on hold for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

A US federal appeal court on Friday ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to stop construction on a US$400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing, dealing the Republican leader a major setback in a ‌case testing his presidential authority. The Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in a divided 2-1 order upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued last year after the...

A federal appeals court panel backed a lower court’s ruling, and made it likely that the Supreme Court will decide the case. But the decision does not mean construction will halt immediately.

A federal appeals court affirmed a federal judge’s ruling to block construction of the White House ballroom while allowing below-ground construction to move forward.

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump must halt aboveground construction on his White House ballroom. In a 2-1 ruling, a  D.C. Circuit Court panel determined the Trump administration must seek approval for construction from Congress, which has the “exclusive authority to regulate the construction and demolition of White House structures.”“At this preliminary stage, the National Trust has shown, compellingly, that Congress has not ceded unfettered authority to the Executive Branch to dramatically redesign, reshape, and reconstruct the White House—the People’s House—to fit a particular President’s desires,” the ruling stated. Trump-appointed Judge Neomi Rao dissented, agreeing with the administration that the National Trust for Historic Preservation did not have the standing to challenge the construction. The nonprofit’s case was centered around Professor Alison Hoagland, a member of the National Trust, who formally claimed that the ballroom was an aesthetic injury to the White House. Rao argued that the decision would “permit adjudication of any government action that a plaintiff finds unsightly.” But by the judge’s logic, the Trump administration could make unilateral sweeping changes to any national landmark—even, as the DOJ tried to claim, the Statue of Liberty. For months, Trump has treated the White House—which belongs to all Americans, not just the president—like one of his gaudy resort properties. Meanwhile, the price tag on Trump’s ballroom has exploded. The president originally claimed that his ballroom project would only cost $200 million, but that number later ballooned to $300 million, and then $400 million after he decided to tack on extra construction. In June, a bombshell report revealed that taxpayers would be expected to foot the bill for half of a $600 million total cost.The ruling will be implemented in 14 days to allow the Trump administration time to appeal the decision. Should this case continue up the chain, the Supreme Court is likely to reverse the appellate decision. This story has been updated.

The appeals court placed its ruling on hold for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A federal appeals court has issued a ruling blocking the construction of President Trump's $400 million White House ballroom, saying congressional approval is needed.

National Trust for Historic ⁠Preservation sued last year after Trump administration tore down East WingUS politics live – latest updatesA US federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to halt construction of the US president’s $400m White House ballroom, in a fresh blow to the controversial project.Donald Trump, who demolished the historic East Wing of the White House last year to make way for planned ballroom, has repeatedly touted it as “a gift” to the US people. Continue reading...

A federal appeals court panel blocked President Trump’s White House ballroom in a 2-1 vote on Friday, saying that work must stop except for below-ground construction, including installations Trump says are needed for security.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit panel ruled that Congress retains control over funding for development at the White House and...

The US appeals court has blocked Donald Trump's $400m White House ballroom.

Order says Congress has not ceded authority to the Exec branch to dramatically redesign, reconstruct the White House