Yeah, time to pack up the bulldozers because President Donald Trump’s wacky vision for a massive new White House ballroom that nobody asked for has hit a major legal roadblock.
Looks like a cross between one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces and where you attempt the final heist in GTA.
On Friday, a federal appeals court ruled that the administration cannot move ahead with construction of the proposed $400 million, 90,000 square foot ballroom unless Congress gives its explicit approval. In a 2 to 1 decision, a three judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit backed an earlier injunction that freezes above ground work on the project while the legal battle continues.
The judges delivered the ruling with a pointed reminder about presidential authority, writing, “Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence.”
The decision pauses visible construction on the ballroom itself, but it does leave the administration room to continue underground work tied to security infrastructure, bunkers and medical facilities. The court also issued a 14 day stay, giving the Trump administration time to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to step in before the ruling takes effect.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argues the administration exceeded its executive authority by moving forward without congressional approval and without complying with federal historic preservation requirements. The controversy intensified after the East Wing of the White House was demolished to make way for the project, drawing criticism from preservation advocates and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
The administration has continued to defend the ballroom, maintaining that the project is funded through private donations and serves a national security purpose by providing a more secure venue for large scale state events.
