On Saturday, August 8th, 2026, a US federal appeals court upheld a preliminary injunction that halted construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House. The decision sided with historic preservationists, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who sued after the Trump administration demolished the historic East Wing and began building the 90,000-square-foot ballroom without congressional authorization.

Donald Trump responded on Truth Social, calling the court’s ruling a “National Security Threat at the highest level.” He asserted, “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.” Trump described the halted project as “a gift” to the US people.

District court judge Richard Leon, in a March opinion, noted concerns about the safety and security risks posed by the incomplete construction, stating that the “existence of a ‘large hole’ beside the White House is, of course, a problem of the President’s own making.”

Separately, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport emphasized the state’s legal and moral duty to uphold civil rights, including humane treatment and adequate medical care for detained individuals, some held by private corporations like GEO Group.

Additionally, Oregon’s Democratic Governor Tina Kotek expressed support for locally set moratoriums on new data center construction, following the city of Hillsboro’s recent temporary prohibition.

Sources