Overview
- A D.C. Circuit panel, in a 2–1 decision, lifted a lower court halt and sent the case back to Judge Richard Leon to define his security carve‑out, clearing construction to continue through April 17.
- Leon’s March 31 order had stopped above‑ground building but allowed tasks he found necessary for safety, and he said material the government privately submitted did not show a full pause would jeopardize security.
- Government lawyers say delays leave the site exposed and point to defenses against drones, missiles, and biohazards, and Trump has described underground fortifications tied to the project.
- The National Trust for Historic Preservation argues Congress must approve any major addition, pushing back on Trump’s claim that private funding for the $400 million build means no authorization is needed.
- Judge Neomi Rao dissented, saying the preservation group lacks standing and that statutes let the president proceed, underscoring the unresolved fight over executive power to alter federal property.