Key facts
- A U.S. federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to stop construction on a $400 million White House ballroom.
- The court upheld a preliminary injunction, ruling that congressional approval is required for such projects.
- The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to block the construction, arguing the administration lacked authority.
- The appeals court's ruling is on hold for 14 days to allow for a potential appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A U.S. federal appeals court has ordered President Donald Trump's administration to halt construction on a $400 million ballroom project at the White House. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in a 2-1 decision, upheld a preliminary injunction previously granted to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The preservation group had sued after the administration demolished the East Wing to build the ballroom without seeking authorization from Congress. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon had initially blocked construction, ruling that no federal statute granted the President the authority to undertake such a project without congressional approval. The appeals court judges Millett and Garcia rejected the notion that security concerns excused the administration from federal statutes governing funding for such projects, stating such arguments are not an "automatic get-out-of-law-free card." Dissenting Judge Neomi Rao argued the district court had abused its authority and that the injunction was beyond the proper province of federal courts. The appeals court has placed its ruling on hold for 14 days, allowing the administration time to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.