Trump Administration Seeks to Revive White House Ballroom Plan After Judge’s Halt
The Trump administration has asked a federal appeals court to overturn a ruling that stopped its proposed $400 million White House ballroom project, escalating a fight that now turns on both presidential authority and the security of the executive mansion. In an emergency motion filed Friday with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the administration argued that the pause leaves the White House “open and exposed” and creates “grave national security harms” for the president, his family, and staff.
The dispute centers on a 90,000-square-foot ballroom the administration wants to add to the White House. US District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, ordered construction to stop while a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States moves forward. Leon did, however, suspend enforcement of his order for 14 days so the administration could appeal, and he carved out an exception for work tied directly to safety and security.
In its filing, submitted by the National Park Service, the administration argued that the district court lacks constitutional authority to hear what it dismissed as a case based on “a single pedestrian’s subjective architectural feelings.” It also said the president has complete authority to renovate the White House. Leon rejected that view in his opinion, writing that the National Trust is likely to prevail because “no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have.”
The judge’s ruling was notable not only for its legal stakes but also for its tone: his opinion included 18 exclamation points as it dismantled the administration’s argument that renovation authority rests with the president alone. Leon concluded that Congress, not the White House, holds that power.
The emergency motion will be reviewed by three judges: Patricia Ann Millett, a Barack Obama appointee; Neomi Rao, a Donald Trump appointee; and Bradley Garcia, a Joe Biden appointee. Their decision will determine whether the ballroom plan remains on hold or moves one step closer to becoming a defining architectural and political project of Trump’s second term.
