A US federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom at the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing. The ruling marks a significant setback for former President Donald Trump in a case challenging his presidential authority.

The Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a 2-1 opinion stating, “Each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House” and cannot make fundamental changes without congressional approval. The court upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued after the administration tore down the East Wing and began building a 90,000 square foot (8,360-square-metre) ballroom without Congress’s authorization.

The panel majority wrote, “Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for executive self-help.” The court placed its ruling on hold for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

Trump has described the ballroom project as a security necessity, referring to the structure as a “military centre” in a social media post on Friday, and announced plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

Sources

South China Morning Post World