Appeals court says work may continue on Trump’s White House ballroom
Judges on a federal appeals court have decided that construction on President Donald Trump’s privately funded $400 million ballroom to be attached to the White House can continue for the next week.
A lower court judge had taken up the cause of Trump critics who objected to his making physical changes at the White House complex without their permission, even though a long list of previous presidents did exactly that except perhaps not on the same scale as Trump.
The 2-1 order from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is a victory for Trump, at least temporarily, forr his authority to build the ballroom.
Work will continue until at least April 17, said the ruling, which returned the case to a district judge with instructions for him to look more closely at the national security and safety issues involved.
“It remains unclear whether and to what extent the development of certain aspects of the proposed ballroom is necessary to ensure the safety and security of those below-ground national security upgrades or otherwise to ensure the safety of the White House and its occupants while the appeal proceeds,” the judges said.
A report at CNN explained the ruling is the latest “flashpoint” in Trump’s plans to provide the nation a huge national asset in a ballroom usable for state dinners and such.
YUGE WIN! Ballroom construction continues…Federal Appeals Court has over-ruled radical/activist lower Court!! pic.twitter.com/QzT7iuo5sF
— Myrna (@GigaBeers) April 11, 2026
Joy Reid posted an unhinged rant, crying about the ballroom that Trump is building, and claims it’s taxpayer-funded.
The ballroom is 100% funded by Trump and private donors.
She’s either extremely dumb or a liar, or the more likely option: BOTH pic.twitter.com/cw9qFkOnQF
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 23, 2025
These are the latest renderings of the Trump ballroom. The President says it will be complete during 2028 — before he leaves office. He also says it will be paid for by donors, not taxpayers pic.twitter.com/ZfAPA0cngU
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) March 31, 2026
He’s explained it’s being funded by private donors. Still, those who obsess about opposing his every move insisted that he can’t do it, that Congress has to be consulted, and more.
CNN said, “After Trump demolished the East Wing last year to begin construction, the nation’s top historic preservation group went to court to challenge the legality of the project. It argued, among other things, that Congress needed to bless the project.”
Richard Leon, the judge at the local court level, agreed. He carelessly described the president as the steward of the facility, but not its owner.
Trump and his lawyers said that gave the president the permission he needs.
“That’s called: ‘I’m allowed to continue building as necessary.’ So on that, we’re OK,” Trump said.
Trump’s lawyers accused Leon of imperiling the president and others at the White House.
“The upgrades to the East Wing are not cosmetic; instead, they involve the use of missile-resistant steel columns, beams, drone-proof roofing materials, and bullet, ballistic, and blast proof glass windows. They also include the installation of bomb shelters, hospital and medical facilities, protective partitioning, and top-secret military installations, air conditioning, heating, venting, and more,” the lawyers explained.
The project is planned to be nearly 90,000 square feet and already has been approved by the National Capital Planning Commission.