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 ballroom, spanning 90,000 square feet (8,400 square meters), was initiated after the Trump administration demolished the historic East Wing 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.”

The court's order upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which had filed the lawsuit last year. District court judge Richard Leon, in a March opinion, noted concerns about the safety and security of the White House grounds due to incomplete construction, describing the presence of a “large hole” beside the White House as a problem of the President’s own making.

Separately, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport emphasized the state's duty to uphold civil rights, including humane treatment and adequate medical care 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.

The appeals court decision marks a significant legal setback for the Trump administration’s White House renovation plans.

Sources