President Donald Trump announced on Friday, August 7, 2026, that he will immediately appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court following a 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to halt construction on the proposed White House ballroom.

The appeals court upheld a lower court's ruling that paused above-ground construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom project, which replaced the demolished East Wing. The court stated in its 136-page ruling that the authority to build such a "massive ballroom" rests with Congress, not the executive branch.

In a Truth Social post, Trump condemned the ruling as "horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful." He argued that the court's decision on the issue of legal standing was "totally wrong" and claimed it "severely jeopardizes the lives and welfare of the people who work, and will be working, at the White House — including all future Presidents of the United States, and their families, as well as the lives of all those visiting, such as Heads of State and other Dignitaries, and all Americans who wish to visit the historic, beautiful Executive Mansion."

Trump described the ballroom as a "Gift from President Trump and Great Patriots of the United States of America," asserting it is being built ahead of schedule and under budget. He emphasized the project's role in providing a secure venue for formal events, accommodating up to 2,000 guests, and ensuring the safety of leaders for generations.

The White House noted that it is unprecedented in American history for a President to unilaterally demolish substantial portions of the White House using privately collected funds, as Trump has done with this project.

Photographs from August 5, 2026, show the White House helipad and the new ballroom extension under construction in Washington, D.C.

Trump's appeal to the Supreme Court seeks to overturn the federal court's decision and resume construction on the ballroom.

Sources