US appeals court halts Trump's $400 million ballroom project

A US federal appeals court on Friday ordered President Donald Trump's administration to halt construction of a proposed $400 million ballroom at the White House, dealing a significant setback to the president's plan to reshape the historic complex.In a 2-1 ruling, the Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a preliminary injunction obtained by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the project after the administration demolished the White House's East Wing and began building a 90,000-square-foot ballroom without congressional approval, cites Reuters.The appeals court, however, put its order on hold for 14 days, giving the Trump administration time to appeal to the US Supreme Court.The ruling comes after US District Judge Richard Leon had twice blocked above-ground construction while allowing underground work to continue. Leon ruled that "no federal statute comes close to giving the President" the authority to construct the ballroom without approval from Congress.The Trump administration has defended the project, saying the ballroom is needed to host large formal events while improving security at the White House. The ballroom is among several initiatives by Trump aimed at reshaping government buildings and national landmarks in Washington.During arguments before the appeals court in June, Justice Department lawyer Yaakov Roth argued that the judiciary had no role in reviewing the privately funded project."The courts have no role" in weighing the project, Roth said, adding that the preservation group's "architectural preference" against the ballroom should not outweigh national security concerns. He argued the former East Wing left "the president and others in the White House vulnerable to attack."Opposing the administration, Thaddeus Heuer, counsel for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said the issue was not aesthetics but legal procedure. "They just don't want to go to Congress," Heuer told the court.Trump has repeatedly defended the ballroom and its rising cost, which has nearly doubled from initial estimates. In a post on Truth Social last month, he said the price increased because "it is approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal," adding that "it will be magnificent, safe, and secure!"The ballroom case follows another recent legal setback for the administration after a judge ruled that Trump's name had been unlawfully added to the exterior of the Kennedy Center and ordered its removal.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.