Story perspectives

Federal Appeals Court Blocks Trump's $600M White House Ballroom

8/8/2026

Summary

Story summary

Federal appeals court blocked President Donald Trump's plan for a 90,000-sq-ft White House ballroom on Aug. 7, 2026, ruling Congress must approve the project, whose cost rose to $600 million from $200 million.
The panel upheld Judge Richard J. Leon’s injunction halting above-ground work while allowing below-ground construction.
The court stayed the order for 14 days, prompting President Trump to say he would immediately appeal and call the decision horrendous and unlawful.

History

Historical Context

Congress’s 1993 Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act funded a $150 million White House renovation, with the GSA and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approving a new press briefing room. In 2026, Clark Construction’s $600 million ballroom estimate—over half from taxpayers—triggered Senate Judiciary funding battles, NCPC design approval, and court-ordered construction pauses, echoing the earlier legislative-oversight dispute.

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Story summary

Federal appeals court blocked President Donald Trump's plan for a 90,000-sq-ft White House ballroom on Aug. 7, 2026, ruling Congress must approve the project, whose cost rose to $600 million from $200 million.
The panel upheld Judge Richard J. Leon’s injunction halting above-ground work while allowing below-ground construction.
The court stayed the order for 14 days, prompting President Trump to say he would immediately appeal and call the decision horrendous and unlawful.

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