Court blocks Trump's White House ballroom, saying it's 'not a matter for Executive self-help'

Key Points:

• A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that former President Trump lacks unilateral authority to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the White House's East Wing site without congressional approval.
• The court sided with historic preservationists who sued to halt aboveground construction, emphasizing that Congress must authorize such a major structural change, though underground work on security facilities may continue.
• Trump criticized the ruling as politically motivated and a national security threat, asserting that the ballroom includes critical security features and that congressional approval is unnecessary since no public funds are used.
• The National Trust for Historic Preservation praised the decision, highlighting the public’s right to protect historic sites and affirming that only Congress can authorize the ballroom construction.
• The Trump administration plans to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, while the National Park Service has also raised concerns about a separate Trump proposal for a triumphal arch near historic landmarks.