A U.S. federal appeals court ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump must halt construction of his $400 million White House ballroom project, finding that the administration lacks the legal authority to build the 90,000-square-foot structure without congressional approval. The Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a divided 2-1 order upholding a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued last December after Trump’s team demolished the historic East Wing and began construction.
The court’s decision represents a major setback for Trump’s ambitious effort to reshape Washington’s landscape. The appeals court placed its ruling on hold for 14 days, allowing the Trump administration time to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court before construction must cease.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, an appointee of Republican former President George W. Bush, had previously ruled twice that no federal statute “comes close to giving the President” the authority to construct the ballroom without congressional approval. His initial order in March 2026 blocked above-ground work while allowing underground construction to proceed, citing national security concerns about a bunker component. However, the appeals court majority sided with the preservation group’s argument that Trump had exceeded his authority when he demolished the East Wing—which housed the first lady’s offices and the White House movie theater—to make room for the new structure.
Despite the legal challenges, construction had accelerated in recent months. As of late July, crews had assembled steel framing for the first floor, indicating progress from strictly underground work to above-ground construction. During oral arguments before the appeals court in June, Justice Department attorney Yaakov Roth argued that courts have no role in reviewing the privately funded project and invoked national security concerns. “They just don’t want to go to Congress,” countered Thaddeus Heuer, the lawyer for the preservation group, according to Reuters reporting.
Trump initially said he and wealthy donors would finance the estimated $400 million project, which he promised would be “the greatest of its kind ever built.” He later sought $1 billion from Congress for what the administration described as security features and an underground bunker. Congress did not provide the funds, but construction continued under Trump’s direction. The president has defended the rising costs, which have climbed from initial projections, saying the structure is “approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal” and will be “magnificent, safe, and secure,” according to a Truth Social post cited by Reuters.
The ballroom plan is one of several Trump efforts to remake central Washington. Trump has also ordered changes to White House construction projects, including redesigns of the helipad. Separately, a judge ordered Trump’s name removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after it was illegally added to the exterior. The administration has also pursued renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which faced criticism for peeling paint and algae growth shortly after completion.
The appeals court’s majority found that the administration’s arguments about presidential authority and national security did not override the requirement for congressional approval. The case now heads toward potential Supreme Court review within the 14-day window, where Trump’s legal team will attempt to overturn the appeals court decision.
Sources
- Reuters — Appeals court ruling blocking ballroom construction, 2-1 decision, 14-day hold for Supreme Court appeal, details on Judge Leon’s prior rulings
- ABC News — Appeals court blocks ballroom construction, congressional approval requirement
- Yahoo News / The Independent — Construction progress through July 2026, steel installation, DOJ attorney arguments during oral arguments
- Reuters (August 3, 2026) — Trump’s sweeping Washington renovation efforts, ballroom cost details, Kennedy Center and Reflecting Pool context
