Trump's White House ballroom dream hits pause button as court throws Congress into plan

WASHINGTON, DC: A federal appeals court on Friday, August 7, paused President Donald Trump's White House ballroom construction, questioning his legal authority to proceed with such renovation work.

Trump’s proposed White House ballroom project began in July 2025 with an estimated cost of $400 million. The demolition of the historic East Wing began in October 2025 to clear the footprint for the expanded structure.

Trump can't build White House ballroom until Congress approves

A three-judge bench for the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit held, in a 2-1 decision, that the president doesn’t have authority to build the ballroom, on the site of the demolished East Wing, without congressional approval.

“This holding has nothing at all to do with whether the proposed ballroom is desirable, or not, as a matter of policy. This ruling does not even necessarily mean that the Defendants may not ultimately construct the ballroom,” the opinion said.

“What it does mean is that the Defendants may not do so during the district court’s expeditious litigation without securing Congress’s authorization, as the Constitution and laws require,” the ruling expanded on its reasoning.

However, the Trump administration has two weeks to petition the Supreme Court for review before the Supreme Court, as the Court of Appeals has paused the effect of its decision for 14 days to give the government a chance.

In the 2-1 verdict, Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, dissented.

Trump's White House Ballroom project explained

The controversial White House ballroom project announced by Trump in early 2025 and planned to open in September 2028, aims to add a venue with a higher seating capacity than the East Room for formal events such as state dinners, and to add a secure event space for future presidents.

The project’s funding, design, permitting process and destruction of historic architectural and landscape features have ignited huge criticism.

The court’s decision comes as a blow to President Trump’s highly hyped construction project with his aim to reshape Washington’s historic monuments and sites.

Trump has faced several legal challenges, questioning whether he has the authority to build projects inside the White House without Congress's approval.