A federal appeals court in Washington ruled on August 7 that the Trump administration must halt construction of the planned $400 million White House ballroom unless Congress authorizes the project. The 2–1 decision found that President Donald Trump does not have unilateral authority to build the approximately 90,000-square-foot structure on the site of the demolished East Wing. The court stayed its ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Trump administration has argued that the project includes important security features, including a hardened structure, ballistic-resistant glass, a drone-resistant roof and secure systems. Trump has maintained that the ballroom is privately funded and has disputed the need for congressional approval.

The legal dispute began after preservation groups challenged the project. The administration has argued that stopping construction could have national-security implications, while the courts have distinguished between security-related underground facilities and the above-ground ballroom itself.

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