President Donald Trump’s ambitious White House ballroom project has hit a significant legal setback after a federal appeals court paused major construction. The ruling found that Congress, not the president alone, must authorize the massive addition before work can continue.
The decision marks another hurdle for one of Trump’s highest-profile White House renovation plans, leaving the project’s future uncertain.
Court rules Donald Trump needs congressional approval for White House ballroom construction
The ruling came from a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Associated Press said the court ruled 2-1 that above-ground construction must stop while legal challenges continue. Only work related to safety and security can move forward during the pause.
The judges also gave the Trump administration 14 days to seek review from the U.S. Supreme Court. In the majority opinion, Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia stressed that presidents do not own the White House.
“Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence,” the judges wrote, according to Deadline. They added, “The President has no—and claims no—constitutionally assigned authority over that property.”
The panel also concluded, “Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” according to the outlet.
The ballroom project would replace the demolished East Wing with a 90,000-square-foot structure designed to host larger state events. Trump has previously argued that the White House lacks adequate entertaining space. He has pointed to the fact that state dinners are sometimes held inside outdoor tents.
According to The Associated Press, the court upheld an earlier district court ruling. The ruling requires congressional approval before above-ground construction can proceed. However, below-ground work involving bunkers and other national security facilities can continue.
Judge Neomi Rao dissented, arguing that the National Trust for Historic Preservation lacked standing and suggesting the renovations likely fall within presidential authority.
The preservation group filed its lawsuit after the East Wing was demolished in late 2025. It argued that the ballroom would overwhelm the historic Executive Residence, which measures roughly 55,000 square feet.
Government lawyers maintained that the project also includes essential security upgrades intended to protect the president, the first family, White House staff, and the White House complex.
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