Construction on Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom is back on—at least for now.
A federal appeals court on Saturday paused a lower court order that had halted the project, giving the administration a short window to keep building while the legal fight plays out. The pause runs through April 17.
The D.C. Circuit’s 2–1 ruling doesn’t settle the dispute. Instead, it sends the case back to the trial judge, asking for clarity on a key question: does the injunction leave enough room to address what the administration calls urgent security risks?
That’s the crux of Trump’s argument. Officials say stopping construction midstream creates vulnerabilities at the White House—and that the ballroom itself is part of a broader security design.
The appeals panel wasn’t convinced either way—yet.
“We cannot fairly determine,” the judges wrote, whether the lower court’s safety exception actually covers those risks, especially on such a rushed record.
Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, dissented, going further than her colleagues. She argued the lawsuit shouldn’t even be in court, saying preservationists lack standing—and that the president has the authority to build.
Opponents see it differently. The National Trust for Historic Preservation says the fight isn’t about security upgrades—it’s about process. Their argument: the ballroom needs congressional approval before construction can move forward.
Notably, they aren’t challenging everything. The group says it has no issue with the underground bunker described in filings—only the above-ground ballroom itself.
Meanwhile, the National Capital Planning Commission has already signed off on the project, pointing to past White House expansions as precedent.
There was one dissent there too. D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson voted no, warning the plan has evolved and shouldn’t be approved in pieces.
Bottom line: construction continues for now, but the legal fight—and bigger questions about presidential power—are far from settled.
The White House is OWNED by the people of the U.S. … not some historic preservation group.
If we have a problem with what Trump is doing, WE will make noise!
Notice that we haven’t done so.
Thank you……it’s TDS all the way! We the people is what they forget about….everyones derangement is showing and perchance they need psychiatric care….it’s getting crazy and dangerous for all us normal folk!