A US federal appeals court has halted construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House, siding with historic preservationists who sued to stop the project. The National Trust for Historic Preservation won a preliminary injunction after the Trump administration tore down the historic East Wing and began building the 90,000-square-foot ballroom without congressional authorization.

Donald Trump responded on Truth Social, calling the decision a “National Security Threat at the highest level.” He stated, “We are not tenants, who pay rent and do all other things that a tenant must do, we are PRESIDENTS, elected by the people of the United States of America, and have many rights, including the right to fix, renovate, secure, protect, and beautify the White House grounds.”

District court judge Richard Leon had previously noted in a March opinion that any incomplete construction poses concerns for the safety and security of the White House and the President, adding that the “existence of a ‘large hole’ beside the White House is, of course, a problem of the President’s own making.”

The ruling underscores the legal and preservation challenges surrounding the project. Meanwhile, other political figures have voiced their positions on related civil rights and development issues. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport emphasized the state's duty to protect civil rights and humane treatment for detained individuals. Oregon’s Democratic governor, Tina Kotek, expressed support for locally set moratoriums on new data center construction, following Hillsboro’s recent temporary prohibition.

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