US Appeals Court Halts Trump’s White House Ballroom Project

White House ballroom appeals court Congress approval Donald Trump national security

A three‑judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered a halt to construction of President Donald Trump’s privately funded White House ballroom and associated military complex. The 2‑1 decision held that Congress must approve the $400 million, 90,000‑square‑foot project before work can continue.

The majority judges were appointed by Democratic presidents, while the dissenting judge was a Trump appointee. The court stayed its order for 14 days, giving the administration time to seek emergency relief from the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump denounced the ruling as a “national security threat” and a “national disgrace,” and said he will immediately appeal to the Supreme Court.

The project, which includes an underground bunker, bomb shelters, a medical facility and a rooftop “DronePort,” was launched after the East Wing of the White House was demolished. Funding has risen from an initial $200 million estimate to about $400 million, sourced from private donors.

Entities: Donald Trump · National Trust for Historic Preservation · Supreme Court of the United States · U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit · United States Congress · United States Supreme Court · White House

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 5 SOURCES] President Donald Trump said he will immediately appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. (multiple articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] The administration demolished the entire East Wing of the White House in October 2025 to make way for the ballroom.
[● 5 SOURCES] The court stayed the ruling for 14 days to allow the administration to seek Supreme Court review. (multiple articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] The ballroom project includes underground military‑grade facilities such as a bunker and missile‑resistant structures.
[● 2 SOURCES] The judges ruled that the president lacks unilateral authority to alter the White House without explicit congressional approval.
[● 5 SOURCES] Two judges on the panel were appointed by Democratic presidents, while the dissenting judge was appointed by Trump. (multiple articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] Trump described the court ruling as a national security threat.
[● 7 SOURCES] A federal appeals court ordered a halt to construction of a $400‑million White House ballroom. (multiple articles)
[● 6 SOURCES] The project includes underground military facilities such as bomb shelters, a hospital, and missile‑resistant structures. (multiple articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] The construction was privately funded, with the budget rising from $200 million to $400 million. (multiple articles)
[● 7 SOURCES] The appeals court ruled 2‑1 that Congress must approve funding for the White House ballroom. (multiple articles)
[● 9 SOURCES] The court ruled that Congress must approve funding for the ballroom project. (multiple articles)