On Friday, August 7, 2026, a US federal appeals court ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to stop construction of a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing. The Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a divided 2-1 ruling upholding a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which had sued after the East Wing was torn down and construction began without congressional authorization.

The court stated that Trump does not have unilateral authority to construct the 8,400-square-metre ballroom, emphasizing that "whether a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help." The panel added that Congress has not granted the Executive Branch unfettered power to redesign and reconstruct the White House to suit a particular president's desires.

The ruling upheld an earlier April 16 order from US District Judge Richard Leon that blocked above-ground construction while allowing underground work to continue. The appeals court stayed its ruling for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

Government lawyers have argued that the project, the largest structural change to the White House in over 70 years, includes critical security features to protect against threats such as drones, ballistic missiles, and biohazards. Trump has described the ballroom as necessary for large formal functions and to preserve White House safety.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the lawsuit in December 2025, shortly after the East Wing demolition, challenging the project that Trump said would accommodate 999 people.

The White House and Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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