US court blocks Trump’s 400 mn dollar White House ballroom project

The Story in Brief

A US federal appeals court has blocked former President Donald Trump's plan to build a $400 million ballroom at the White House, ruling that the executive branch cannot make major alterations without congressional approval. The 2-1 decision by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld an earlier injunction sought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The trust had sued after the Trump administration demolished the East Wing and began construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom without legislative consent.

The court stated that the president is a tenant of the White House, not the owner, and cannot unilaterally order significant changes. Trump, who argued the project was essential for security and would include a bomb shelter and medical facilities, called the ruling politically motivated and vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court. The appeals court has stayed its order for 14 days to allow the administration to seek a higher court review.