Getty ImagesThe Trump administration has been ordered to stop construction on President Donald Trump’s $400m (£297m) ballroom at the White House.
A federal appeals court dealt the latest setback to the controversial project on Friday, testing Trump’s presidential authority. He has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court.
“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the panel’s majority said.
The order upholds a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued after the administration tore down the East Wing last year to begin the project without congressional approval.
“Congress has not ceded unfettered authority to the Executive Branch to dramatically redesign, reshape, and reconstruct the White House — the People’s House — to fit a particular President’s desires,” the panel said.
The three-judge panel, in a 2-1 decision, said: “Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence.”
“The President has no – and claims no – constitutionally assigned authority over that property, which is designed and maintained for the use of all Presidents, current and future, and for the American people,” the opinion said.
The administration appealed to the court after a federal judge twice blocked above-ground construction on the ballroom, while still allowing underground work to proceed.
The ruling on Friday upholds the order blocking above-ground construction without congressional approval. The appeals court delayed implementation of its ruling for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The BBC has contacted the White House and Department of Justice for comment.
Trump railed against the “horrendous” and “politically motivated” decision on social media, highlighting the dissenting judge’s opinion that the order is “a blatant abuse of discretion”.
He said the military and Secret Service viewed the ruling as a national security threat.
“This unjust decision must be overturned by the Supreme Court in its entirety,” he wrote.
He also repeated that the ballroom was being built ahead of schedule and under budget, as a gift to the American people funded by a coalition of private donors.
However, Republicans have sought to use a portion of $1bn (£740m) in taxpayer funds for Secret Service security upgrades – a plan that was brushed aside by a budget watchdog in May.
President Trump has asserted that the new ballroom is needed to “accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits”, and has also said that it is “vital for National Security”.
The ballroom building would consist of the large entertaining space above ground and also a security complex below ground. Trump doubled down on the need for the space after an assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation celebrated the ruling on Friday, noting that no above-ground construction can take place “unless and until” Congress takes action.
“The White House, a global landmark that symbolizes American identity and the ideals of democracy, belongs to the American people,” said Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust.
“The National Trust for Historic Preservation and its partners are proud to defend this irreplaceable monument on behalf of all Americans.”
Trump has touted the ballroom project repeatedly since he unveiled plans for it in July 2025. It would have been the most substantial structural change to the presidential residence in more than 70 years.
But the project has been mired in legal issues since October, when the Trump administration demolished the East Wing, which was built in 1902, to begin construction. Trump initially said the project would be “near” the East Wing, not that it would be demolished.
Government lawyers have argued the additional security complex and features included in the ballroom project are needed to protect the White House complex from drones, ballistic missiles, biohazards and other threats – changes essential to protecting the president, his family, and staff. Trump said on Friday that construction includes bomb shelters, hospital and medical facilities and top secret military facilities.
But the Trust said there was no basis to “disturb” the White House and argued that having a ballroom isn’t a national security emergency.
The three-judge appeals court panel said on Friday that its ruling “has nothing at all to do with whether the proposed ballroom is desirable”, nor does it weigh in on whether the administration may ultimately construct the ballroom.
“What it does mean is that the Defendants may not do so during the district court’s expeditious litigation without securing Congress’s authorization, as the Constitution and laws require,” the order said.
