Court Halts Trump’s White House Ballroom Project Without Congressional Approval
Posted on08/08/26 at 03:02
A federal appeals court has ordered a halt to above-ground construction of President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom, ruling that the project cannot move forward without congressional approval. The White House says it will appeal to the Supreme Court.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued the 2-1 decision Friday, according to The Associated Press.
Why it matters: The ruling is a major setback for one of Trump’s most ambitious White House renovation projects and raises questions about the limits of presidential authority to modify federal property without approval from Congress.
Court Says Congress Must Approve the Project
The court ruled that the president does not have the authority to unilaterally build the roughly 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the site of the former White House East Wing, which was demolished at Trump’s direction last fall.
The judges concluded that Congress must authorize a construction project of that scale at the presidential residence.
The ruling was issued by a three-judge panel in a 2-1 vote.
However, the court paused enforcement of its decision for 14 days, giving the Trump administration time to seek review from the Supreme Court.
Trump Vows to Appeal
🚨 JUST IN: A federal Appeals court has just ordered President Trump STOP ALL CONSTRUCTION on the White House ballroom before he gets Congressional approval — AP
SUPREME COURT TIME.
This is TOTAL BS.
SCOTUS should step in, slap it down, so construction can proceed! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ux4VM80BPX
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 7, 2026
Trump called the ruling “unfair” in a social media post and said his administration would immediately appeal to the Supreme Court.
The president argued that the project includes bomb shelters, medical facilities, secure military areas and other features designed to protect the White House and future presidents.
Trump also maintains that congressional approval is unnecessary because the ballroom is not being built with taxpayer money.
Project Has Faced Legal Challenges
An appeals court rules President Trump cannot build the $400 million White House ballroom without congressional approval. https://t.co/2OvutHBLRD
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 7, 2026
Trump has said the project is being financed with hundreds of millions of dollars from corporations, wealthy donors and his own funds, according to AP.
His administration had previously sought $1 billion from Congress for the project, but the request was rejected.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit in December 2025, arguing that Congress must authorize the construction of a ballroom at the White House.
The appeals court ruling blocks above-ground construction, but underground work involving bunkers, military facilities and other security infrastructure may continue under previous court authorization.
What Happens Next?
The Trump administration now has 14 days to seek Supreme Court review.
Unless the Supreme Court intervenes or Congress authorizes the project, above-ground construction of the White House ballroom will remain on hold.