The fight over Trump’s White House ballroom just took a dramatic turn
President Trump’s controversial plan to build an enormous ballroom adjacent to—and larger than—the White House just ground to a halt. A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., ruled on Friday that Trump’s ballroom construction isn’t lawful and must stop. In a 2-1 opinion, Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia asserted that “each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White…
The Trump administration's ambitious plan to construct an expansive ballroom adjacent to the White House has come to an abrupt halt after a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. ruled on Friday that the project is unlawful and must cease. In a 2-1 decision, Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia contended that "each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence," thus Trump lacks the power to unilaterally renovate the White House complex as he pleases.
The majority opinion emphasizes that "the President has no—and claims no—constitutionally assigned authority over that property, which is designed and maintained for the use of all Presidents, current and future, and for the American people." Judge Neomi Rao, appointed during Trump's first term, dissented, asserting that the court has never witnessed a President unilaterally demolish significant portions of the White House using privately collected funds.
Friday's ruling reinforces an earlier injunction attached to a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sought to halt the project last year. The nonprofit argued that only Congress has the authority to legally approve major alterations to the White House's structures. Despite the legal setback, the Trump administration has 14 days to appeal the decision.
Construction on the above-ground portion of the project, however, has already commenced, as evidenced by photographs from the site showing a substantial demolition effort underway. The public remains uncertain about the project's specifics, with Trump initially asserting that the ballroom would not affect the existing structure but later authorized its full demolition.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles emphasized that the president would collaborate with historical preservation organizations for the complex's renovation. The $200 million proposal initially aimed to create a massive event space to rival Mar-a-Lago, but as resistance grew, Trump and his legal team shifted their narrative, arguing that the project is crucial for national security.
The president recently claimed that the construction is a part of national security, including a medical facility, drone-proof ceilings, missile-resistant steel, and "top secret military facilities." The president called for the Supreme Court to intervene and overturn the decision, saying, "The entire Complex, Military and all, is largely built, fabricated, and paid for."
The project is expected to cost over $400 million and is primarily funded by private donors and corporations seeking to align with the current administration. Despite the influx of private money, the Trump administration quietly redirected $350 million in federal funds intended for the Secret Service toward the ballroom construction project in June.
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