Court Halts Trump's White House Ballroom Project
A federal appeals court has ruled that President Trump's plan to construct a large ballroom adjacent to the White House must stop. The ruling states that presidents are temporary tenants and lack the authority to unilaterally alter the executive residence.
A federal appeals court in Washington D.C. has halted President Trump's controversial plan to build a large ballroom next to the White House. The court ruled on Friday that the president does not have the authority to unilaterally redesign the executive residence, citing that each president is a temporary tenant, not an owner.
In a 2-1 decision, Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia stated that the president lacks the power to rebuild the White House complex to his personal liking. They emphasized that the property is maintained for the use of all presidents, past, present, and future, and for the American people.
This judicial intervention reinforces an earlier injunction obtained by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit that sued to stop the project. The Trust argued that only Congress can legally approve major alterations to the White House structures, a position the judges found sympathetic.
Although the court's order freezes above-ground construction, the Trump administration has 14 days to appeal. Despite the legal challenges, construction is already underway, with recent photos showing significant work at the site of the demolished former East Wing.
The project, estimated to cost over $400 million, is being funded primarily by private donors and corporations. However, reports indicate the administration has also redirected over $350 million in federal funds, originally allocated for the Secret Service, towards the ballroom construction.