Trump Loses Appeal Over $400 Million White House Ballroom

A federal appeals court has upheld a halt to construction of Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom, giving the administration 14 days to seek Supreme Court intervention

Trump loses appeal over $400 million White House ballroom, after a federal appeals court upheld an order blocking most above-ground construction on the project and gave the administration 14 days to seek Supreme Court review.

The decision was issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in a 2-1 ruling that upheld an earlier order by federal Judge Richard Leon. The court found that construction of a project of this scale could not proceed without specific authorization from Congress.

The judges stressed that their decision was not a ruling on the merits of the ballroom itself. Instead, they focused on the procedure followed by the Trump administration, concluding that the president had moved ahead without the required congressional approval.

The court said the president does not have “unlimited authority” to “redesign, modify, and rebuild the White House to satisfy a president’s personal desire.”

Trump sharply criticized the ruling, calling it “horrible.” In a post on Truth Social, he said two appeals court judges appointed by Barack Obama and Joe Biden had voted against what he described as a badly needed military facility that was essential to the national security of Washington, D.C., and the United States.

Trump said his administration would immediately appeal to the Supreme Court and called on the justices to overturn what he described as an unjust decision.

The dispute centers on a planned ballroom costing about $400 million and designed to accommodate up to 1,000 people for official receptions and state dinners. The project was initially estimated at $200 million and is being financed through private donations before the projected cost doubled.

Last October, Trump ordered the demolition of an entire wing of the White House to make way for the project. The initiative was subsequently challenged in court by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), a nonprofit organization charged by Congress with protecting historic sites. The group argues that the work cannot legally proceed without prior authorization from lawmakers.

Trump has continued to defend the project, arguing that the new structure would serve purposes beyond official events. According to the president, it would also strengthen security around the White House and Washington and could include a drone platform to support protective operations at the presidential complex.

The appeals court’s suspension of its order will remain in effect for two weeks, giving the Trump administration time to ask the Supreme Court to intervene. The move could open the next stage of the legal battle over the proposed transformation of the White House.

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