August 8, 2026 | 08:30 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump was ordered on Friday to halt construction of a ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing, according to DW.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Friday upheld a preliminary injunction secured by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued the Trump administration over the project.
The ruling temporarily bars above-ground construction while the legal dispute continues and until the administration obtains congressional approval. The order is on hold for 14 days to allow Trump to appeal to the US Supreme Court.
Trump said his administration would “immediately” appeal the ruling and called the decision a “horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful ruling.”
Court Says Congress Must Approve Major Changes
Judges Patricia Millett and Brad Garcia, both appointed by Democratic presidents, said the ruling does not permanently block the ballroom but prevents further construction during the lawsuit.
The court said the president does not have unrestricted authority to make major structural changes to the White House without congressional approval.
“Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House,” the judges wrote, adding that Congress, rather than the executive branch, should decide whether a major ballroom should be built.
The court also rejected what it described as an argument that the executive branch could act outside legal limits by citing the need to protect national landmarks.
Court Rejects National Security Argument
Construction of the planned 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-meter) ballroom began last year after the administration demolished the historic East Wing, marking the most significant structural change to the White House in more than 70 years.
White House lawyers argued that the project incorporates security upgrades designed to protect the president, his family and staff from threats including drones, ballistic missiles and biological hazards.
The court majority rejected the argument, saying national security concerns “are not an automatic get-out-of-law-free card.”
Trump has promoted the ballroom as a needed venue for large events and described the project as a gift to the country.
The legal battle now moves toward a potential Supreme Court review, while construction remains on hold.
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