The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has upheld an injunction pausing construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom. Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia formed the two-judge majority, while Judge Neomi Rao dissented.
The ruling says Trump and the National Park Service have not shown that Congress delegated authority to build the project. The injunction takes effect after a 14-day stay, giving the administration time to appeal to the US Supreme Court.
At a glance:
- The vote was 2-1, with Millett and Garcia in the majority and Rao dissenting.
- The injunction pauses construction while the lawsuit proceeds; it does not permanently reject the ballroom.
- The planned ballroom is approximately 90,000 square feet, or about 8,361 square metres.
- A lower court’s injunction included an exception for construction necessary for national security, but not for the ballroom project as a whole.
Why the appeals court upheld the pause
The majority described the White House as the “people’s house” and said Congress controls the building and surrounding property. Garcia and Millett wrote that the president has no constitutionally assigned authority over that property and is only a temporary tenant.
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The judges said they were aware of no previous instance in which a president had unilaterally demolished substantial portions of the White House using privately collected funds. They concluded that allowing construction to continue could cause permanent and irreversible harm to the historic, architectural and aesthetic interests cited by the plaintiffs.
What happens next
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the lawsuit in December after the East Wing, first built in 1902, was demolished in October for the ballroom project. On March 31, US District Court Judge Richard Leon issued the initial injunction, writing that construction had to stop unless Congress authorized the project by statute.
Trump said on Truth Social that his administration would immediately appeal to the Supreme Court. He has argued that the ballroom is needed for national security and for securely hosting events, while critics and the National Trust say the project proceeded without the required legal process.
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- The appeals court’s ruling pauses construction during the district court litigation unless Congress authorizes it.
- The 14-day stay delays implementation of the injunction while the administration considers its appeal.
- The majority said the ruling does not necessarily prevent the ballroom from being built later if the defendants prevail in the litigation.
Questions readers ask
Does the ruling permanently block the ballroom?
No. The appeals court said the injunction pauses construction while the lawsuit proceeds and does not necessarily prevent construction if the defendants ultimately prevail.
Can any work continue during the injunction?
Judge Leon’s earlier order allowed construction necessary for national security, but clarified that the exception did not permit the ballroom project as a whole to proceed.
Why does Congress matter in this case?
The appeals court majority said Congress controls the White House property and that the administration had not shown Congress delegated authority to the president or the National Park Service to build the ballroom.
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