Donald Trump White House ballroom project back on track after court ruling
White House (Photo: Getty Images)
A federal appeals court in the US has allowed President Donald Trump to continue construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House, reports the Associated Press.
The decision came a day after a lower court judge continued to block ground construction on the site of the former East Wing.
On Friday, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia temporarily suspended the order of US District Judge Richard Leon that had halted part of the project. The panel scheduled a hearing to consider the case for June 5.
In his ruling issued Thursday, Leon continued to block ground construction of the 8,400-square-meter ballroom addition, while allowing only underground work to continue on the bunker and other national security facilities at the site.
Trump's construction plan
Last fall, Trump demolished the East Wing to build a massive ballroom in its place. The National Trust for Historic Preservation later sued to block the construction, arguing that the president exceeded his authority by proceeding with the project without prior approval from key federal agencies and Congress.
At the end of March, Leon ruled in favor of the nonprofit organization but briefly stayed his ruling, allowing underground work to continue. The administration appealed.
Trump has said the ballroom is a long‑overdue addition to the White House complex and claims he has the right to build it because the costs will be covered by donations from wealthy individuals and corporations, although taxpayer funds will be used for security.
History of the White House ballroom
On April 12, the US Court of Appeals ruled that construction of the new ballroom at the White House could continue. However, only temporarily, until April 17.
The ballroom is a $400 million project that involves replacing the demolished East Wing of the White House with a ballroom covering approximately 90,000 square feet.
As early as December 2025, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit, alleging that Trump exceeded his authority by demolishing the historic East Wing.
