Appeals Court Blocks White House Ballroom Construction, Citing Congress Authority

A US federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump likely lacks legal authority to demolish and rebuild portions of the White House without congressional approval.

The ruling upholds an order that halts above-ground construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom and military complex. President Trump immediately blamed two federal judges appointed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden for the decision, calling it horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful. The court's decision addresses Trump's plan to construct a White House ballroom and military complex, which involves improving the East Wing.

The proposed facility includes an underground secure area and an above-ground space designed to host international social events, complete with bathrooms, a feature currently lacking when such events occur in tents on the White House lawn. The appellate court's order specifically halts above-ground construction of the 90,000-square-foot facility. President Trump reacted to the 2-1 ruling by taking to his Truth Social platform, where he unleashed a nearly 500-word diatribe.

He referred to the court's decision as utter lawlessness and vowed to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. The appellate court judges, in their judgment, cast Trump as a tenant of the people's house, compared his vision with the Palace of Versailles, and insisted he had no authority to proceed. They stated the project falls under the domain of Congress, not the executive branch.

Trump later designated his project as a military center. President Trump states he will immediately appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, setting up a test of presidential authority in reshaping the White House.