Overview
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Friday that President Trump lacks authority to proceed with above‑ground construction of the planned 90,000‑square‑foot, roughly $400 million ballroom without Congress’s authorization.
- The three‑judge panel upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and stayed its order for 14 days so the administration can ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.
- The court allowed below‑ground work tied to security, bunkers and other underground facilities to continue while blocking visible construction above ground.
- The judges said no federal statute clearly delegates to the Executive the power to demolish and substantially rebuild parts of the White House, framing the dispute as a constitutional limit on unilateral presidential changes to public property.
- The case will proceed in lower courts if the Supreme Court declines emergency review, and Congress could resolve the dispute by passing explicit authorization; preservationists say the ruling protects public stewardship of the White House and opponents warn it could delay security upgrades.