Appeals court halts Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project

A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ordered the Trump administration to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom at the White House’s demolished East Wing, according to Reuters.

The D.C. Circuit’s 2-1 ruling upheld an injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, stating a president cannot reshape the White House without congressional approval. The ruling was stayed 14 days for a Supreme Court appeal.

Trump called the decision “horrendous,” insisting the ballroom includes vital security features like bomb shelters and drone shielding, and vowed to appeal.