Appeals Court Halts President Trump’s White House Ballroom Construction

A divided panel of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump must stop work on his proposed White House ballroom until Congress authorizes the project. The judges emphasized that the president is a “temporary tenant, not the owner” of the Executive Residence and noted the absence of any historical precedent for a president unilaterally demolishing portions of the White House that Congress had approved and that taxpayers funded. The court ordered a two-week stay on its decision to give the administration time to seek review by the Supreme Court.

The Independent

The plan calls for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom to be added to the White House complex. The project would be financed with privately raised funds, but the judges stressed that congressional approval is required for any structural changes to the historic residence.

The Independent

The appellate judges’ written opinion framed the issue as a separation-of-powers matter, asserting that the Constitution limits the president’s authority to alter the White House without legislative consent. No response from the White House or the Trump administration was included in the source material.

The Independent

If the administration proceeds with an appeal, the Supreme Court could be asked to resolve whether a president may use private money to bypass congressional oversight of federal property. A ruling in favor of the judges would reaffirm congressional control over alterations to the Executive Residence, while a reversal could expand executive discretion in funding and constructing additions to the White House. The two-week pause provides a narrow window for the administration to prepare its legal strategy.

The Independent