A federal appeals court has ordered President Trump to halt construction of his $400 million White House ballroom, ruling that congressional approval is required before the project can continue. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued the decision on August 7 in a 2-1 vote, upholding a lower court’s preliminary injunction that blocks above-ground work on the 90,000-square-foot structure replacing the demolished East Wing.
“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 majority wrote, according to the CNBC report of the ruling. The panel gave Trump’s administration 14 days to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the nonprofit organization that sued to block the project, brought the legal challenge in December 2025, a week after the East Wing demolition began. The group argued that federal law requires congressional authorization for major alterations to federal buildings, particularly those on historic sites like the White House. The appeals court sided with the preservation group, with Democratic-appointed judges Patricia Millett and Brad Garcia voting to uphold the injunction, while Trump-appointed Judge Neomi Rao dissented.
Trump responded by announcing he would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. In a post on Truth Social, he called the ruling “horrendous” and “politically motivated,” arguing that the ballroom is essential for national security. He said the project includes bomb shelters, medical facilities, shielding from drones and missiles, and other security features that are “all tied together as one big, expensive, and very complex unit,” according to CNBC’s reporting of his statement.
The Trump administration had previously argued that congressional approval was unnecessary because the project is largely privately funded. However, the administration requested $1 billion in federal funding for the ballroom in May, which Congress refused. The appeals court majority rejected the national security argument as an “automatic get-out-of-law-free card,” noting that courts have a role in reviewing executive actions even when security is invoked.
The lower court, led by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon (a George W. Bush appointee), had previously blocked above-ground construction while allowing underground work to continue on bunkers and military installations. The appeals court upheld this approach, allowing the Trump administration to proceed with underground security work but halting visible ballroom construction pending congressional action.
National Trust President Brent Leggs said in a statement that the ruling affirmed “the American people’s right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish, including the White House.” The preservation group has maintained that the law is clear: only Congress can authorize construction of a ballroom at the White House.
The case now heads to the Supreme Court, setting up a test of presidential authority over federal property and the scope of executive power to reshape the nation’s most iconic building. The outcome could affect not only this ballroom project but also other Trump administration construction initiatives in Washington, including a proposed 250-foot-tall triumphal arch that the National Park Service has said could compromise the historical significance of nearby sites.
Sources
- CNBC — appeals court ruling details, Trump’s Truth Social statement, national security arguments, and Supreme Court appeal announcement
- PBS NewsHour — court decision breakdown, judicial panel composition, congressional funding requests, National Trust statement, and lower court history
- DataForSEO/Google Search Results — court ruling date, 2-1 vote margin, 90,000-square-foot ballroom dimensions, $400 million cost estimate, and 14-day stay pending appeal
