President Trump is challenging a 2-1 federal appeals court ruling that blocked aboveground construction of his planned $400 million, 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom without congressional approval. The court ruled the White House is preserved for current and future presidents and called them "temporary tenants," language that Trump rejected on Truth Social. The injunction allows underground security and medical work to continue but bars the ballroom, and the court paused enforcement for 14 days to allow a potential Supreme Court appeal.
Appeals Court Blocks Trump's Aboveground White House Ballroom; He Calls It a 'Military Complex' With DronePort
Trump's ballroom is on hold again as an appeals court rule 2-1 against his construction as being unconstitutional. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
President Donald Trump is contesting a federal appeals court ruling that halted aboveground construction of his proposed White House ballroom, calling the decision a "National Security Threat" and insisting that presidents are not "tenants." The administration has been barred from continuing aboveground work on the $400 million, 90,000-square-foot project without explicit congressional approval.
Court Ruling And Reasoning
In a 2-1 decision, Judges Patricia Millett and Brad Garcia wrote that "Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House," noting the building is preserved for current and future presidents and ultimately belongs to the American people. The appeals court said it was unaware of any prior president who privately financed the demolition of a substantial portion of the White House that Congress had authorized and taxpayers had funded. "Until now," the judges added.
Trump's Response
"We are not tenants, who pay rent and do all other things that a tenant must do, we are PRESIDENTS,"
Trump wrote on Truth Social that presidents have the authority to "fix, renovate, secure, protect, and beautify" the White House without seeking congressional permission. He vowed to take the dispute to the Supreme Court and described the project as a "SECURE Ballroom/Military Complex, including a major DronePort on the roof." He also posted AI-generated images purporting to show drones, aircraft and military gear on the rooftop.
What Construction Can Continue
The appeals court noted that the existing injunction allows construction of underground bunkers, bomb shelters and medical and military infrastructure to proceed, as well as any limited aboveground work strictly necessary for security. What remains blocked by the court order is the ballroom itself.
Scale And Historical Context
At 90,000 square feet, the proposed complex would be larger than a typical Kohl's department store (about 80,000 square feet). The judges rejected the administration's argument that presidents have historically renovated the White House without congressional involvement, pointing to Congress's role after the British burned the White House in the War of 1812 when lawmakers authorized reconstruction and appropriated funds used to build the original East and West Wings.
The appeals court temporarily stayed its order for 14 days to give the administration time to seek Supreme Court review. Whether the high court will allow aboveground construction to resume—whether the project is described as a ballroom, a military complex, or a "DronePort"—now likely rests with the justices.
Help us improve.
