A federal appeals court on Friday blocked the Trump administration from continuing above-ground construction on a $400 million ballroom at the White House. The 2-1 ruling by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals found that the project lacks congressional authorization, handing the White House a major legal setback.
The legal battle over the massive East Wing transformation reached a critical juncture on Friday as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a stark reminder of constitutional boundaries. In an unsigned 2-1 opinion, the court paused its own ruling for 14 days, giving the administration a brief window to take the fight to the Supreme Court.
President Donald Trump immediately vowed to challenge the decision, turning to social media to criticize the panel’s conclusion. We will be immediately appealing to the United States Supreme Court,
Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling for the highest court to overturn the ruling entirely.
Separation of Powers and the Demolition of the East Wing
At the heart of the dispute is the administration’s unilateral decision to demolish the White House East Wing in October 2025. Without securing permission from Congress or undertaking promised consultations, crews tore down the historic structure to make way for a sprawling, privately funded ballroom spanning approximately 90,000 square feet.
The appeals court majority—consisting of Circuit Judges Patricia Millett, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, and Brad Garcia, an appointee of former President Joe Biden—wrote that the executive branch has overstepped its constitutional authority.
The judges emphasized that Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence,
noting that there is no instance in American history in which a President unilaterally and using privately collected funds demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized to be built and American taxpayers paid for.
National Security Arguments Clash With Judicial Oversight
Throughout the litigation, administration officials have defended the project by pointing to its critical infrastructure components. Justice Department attorney Yaakov Roth argued during June 5 oral arguments that the courts have no authority to weigh in on the privately funded project, asserting that the architectural preference
of preservation groups should not override national security concerns.
Trump described the project as a military center,
noting that the ballroom structure incorporates bomb shelters, medical facilities, and specialized shielding from drones and missiles all tied together as one big, expensive, and very complex unit.
The appeals court acknowledged the underground security work underway but drew a firm line against using safety exemptions to justify the entire above-ground structure. The majority wrote that national security arguments are not an automatic get-out-of-law-free card
that allows the executive branch to bypass Congress.
In her dissent, Circuit Judge Neomi Rao—appointed by Trump during his first term—argued that the lower court had overstepped its bounds. Rao stated that U.S. District Judge Richard Leon seized supervision of construction at the White House
and maintained that the National Trust for Historic Preservation lacked the legal standing to bring the lawsuit in the first place.
Preservationist Triumph and Next Legal Steps
For the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which filed the initial lawsuit last year, Friday’s decision represents a major vindication.
National Trust President and CEO Brent Leggs praised the ruling in a statement as a great day for our country and for the American people’s right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish, including the White House.
The ruling leaves above-grade construction halted once the 14-day stay expires, unless the Supreme Court steps in. Above-ground work initiated in the spring has already progressed significantly, with recent images displaying multiple levels of concrete support columns, metal rebar, and a tower crane on site.
Worth a look
