US appeals court upholds injunction pausing Trump’s White House ballroom

What the report says

A US appeals court on Friday upheld a lower-court injunction that is pausing construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom, according to Al Jazeera. The 2-1 decision by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia kept the project on hold while litigation continues. Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia formed the majority, while Neomi Rao dissented.

In the ruling, the majority said the White House and its grounds are controlled by Congress, not the president alone, and that the administration had not shown it had legal authority to proceed without congressional approval. They said allowing the ballroom to go ahead could cause lasting damage to historic and architectural interests tied to the White House. The decision left in place an earlier order from US District Court Judge Richard Leon, who had already paused the work.

The dispute centers on Trump’s long-promoted plan for a large ballroom that critics say required proper legal approval before demolition and construction began. Al Jazeera reported that the White House’s East Wing was torn down in October to make room for the project, prompting objections from preservation groups, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which filed suit. Trump has argued the ballroom is needed for security and has said he will appeal to the US Supreme Court. The ruling does not necessarily end the project, but it means construction remains blocked unless the legal challenge is resolved or Congress authorizes it.