Trump White House Ballroom Construction Resumes Following Appeals Court Intervention
An appeals court has allowed construction to resume on Donald Trump's White House ballroom, intervening after a district judge halted above-ground work. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia granted an administrative stay following an appeal from the Trump administration, permitting the project to continue until a hearing scheduled for 5 June.
The legal tussle began after the appeals court instructed the district judge to reassess the national security implications of blocking the work, which he had initially halted entirely in March. Judge Richard Leon had contended that the project required congressional approval, characterising the administration's reclassification of the ballroom plans as a national security imperative as an apparent attempt to circumvent legal requirements.
“National security is not a blank cheque to proceed with otherwise unlawful activity,” Judge Leon stated. Mr Trump, conversely, claimed on Truth Social that the judge was “attempting to prevent future Presidents and World Leaders from having a safe and secure large scale Meeting Place,” adding that the complex was “vital for National Security and Military Operations of the United States of America!” and would include bomb shelters and medical facilities.
The Justice Department's appeal argued that Judge Leon's ruling “would imperil the President and national security and indefinitely leave a large hole beside the Executive Residence.”
The project, which involves demolishing the 1902 East Wing to build a multi-million-dollar ballroom for 1,350 guests, was initially halted in March due to a lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The preservation group alleged the White House began construction without filing plans with the National Capital Planning Commission or seeking congressional authorisation. The White House states the project, estimated at USD#400 million, is being privately funded.
