ALBAWABA - A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ordered an immediate halt to President Donald Trump’s proposed $400 million White House ballroom, declaring that the project cannot move forward without clearance from Congress. The ruling is a big legal blow for one of Trump’s most ambitious restoration plans for the historic presidential mansion.
The court ruled 2 to 1 that Congress has jurisdiction over major structural modifications to the White House, rejecting the administration’s assertion that the president could go ahead alone. "Every president is a temporary tenant, not the owner," they said, with judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia emphasizing that the White House is for the people.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation initiated the claim, arguing that the administration had no legal right to raze the East Wing and break ground without approval from Congress. “The appeals court agreed, ruling that only Congress can approve such sweeping changes to the White House complex.
The judgment stopped above-ground construction of the proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom but permitted some underground work to proceed on national security infrastructure. The ruling was stayed for 14 days, giving the Trump administration time to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump has defended the proposal as a necessary update of the White House, saying it will improve the venue for state functions and important events. Private donations would also cover much of the restoration, the administration said, but critics have questioned the financial mechanism as well as the legitimacy of the renovation.
