A federal appeals court has ruled that construction on President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom can proceed for at least another week while legal challenges continue. The decision, issued Saturday (April 11) by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, allows workers to keep building the massive new event space on the site of the former East Wing, despite earlier efforts to halt the project.
The 2-1 ruling is a temporary victory for President Trump in a lengthy legal dispute over whether he can build the ballroom without express permission from Congress. According to CNN, the appeals court sent the case back to a lower federal judge to reconsider the White House’s claims that national security and safety require construction to continue. The court said it could not fully review those claims with the limited information currently available, and work is allowed to proceed until at least April 17.
Two judges, both appointed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, voted to send the case back for further review. A third judge, appointed by President Trump, dissented. The original court order to pause construction was issued by Senior US District Judge Richard Leon, who argued that President Trump needed congressional approval to move forward with such a major addition to the White House. Judge Leon wrote, “The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!”
After Judge Leon’s ruling, President Trump and his lawyers argued that the decision still allowed construction to continue for safety reasons. President Trump said, “That’s called: ‘I’m allowed to continue building as necessary.’ So on that, we’re OK.” His legal team also wrote that stopping the project would threaten the safety of those living and working in the White House.
The Justice Department described the upgrades as vital to national security, noting that the project includes missile-resistant steel columns, drone-proof roofing, and blast-proof glass. It also features bomb shelters, medical facilities, and other protective measures.
However, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has argued that President Trump is incorrectly linking the need for a new ballroom with the need for the upgraded security bunker being built below ground. The group maintains that Congress must approve the above-ground addition, and that a temporary halt would not harm the nation or the White House’s residents.
The ballroom, estimated at about 89,000 square feet—much larger than the main White House building—has been a priority for President Trump. The project has faced opposition from preservationists, architects, and many citizens, but recently received approval from a federal planning board with a majority of Trump appointees. President Trump has said he expects the ballroom to be finished by summer 2028, before the end of his term.
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