Overview
- The D.C. Circuit’s 2-1 order Saturday lets construction proceed through at least April 17 while the appeal moves forward.
- The panel sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to clarify the scope of the security carve‑out and to address whether the above‑ground ballroom is necessary to protect below‑ground upgrades.
- Leon’s March 31 injunction halted most above‑ground work after finding the National Trust was likely to succeed because no statute clearly authorizes the president to build the addition without Congress, while allowing tasks strictly needed for safety.
- The White House says the project is vital to safety, citing missile‑resistant steel, drone‑proof roofing, blast‑proof glass, bomb shelters, medical space, and a rebuilt bunker, while the National Trust calls those claims overstated and says the underground work is separate.
- The 90,000‑square‑foot, roughly $400 million plan to replace the demolished East Wing is largely privately financed, has design approvals from federal panels that do not settle the legal question, and could see further review including a possible Supreme Court bid.