Appeals court rules Trump must get approval from Congress on ballroom, ordering halt to construction
The 2-1 ruling says Trump needs congressional approval for the $400 million project and pauses construction for 14 days for a possible appeal.
- On Friday, a divided D.C. Circuit Court panel ruled 2-1 that President Donald Trump must halt above-ground construction of his $400 million White House ballroom, finding the project requires congressional approval.
- The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued the administration last year after Trump demolished the historic East Wing without congressional authorization, challenging the project's legality.
- Judges wrote that each president is a "temporary tenant," not an owner of the White House, stating "Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide."
- The court granted a 14-day stay allowing the Trump administration to seek Supreme Court review, while permitting continued underground work on security installations and bunkers beneath the site.
- Trump-Appointed Judge Neomi Rao dissented, calling the injunction a "blatant abuse of discretion" and arguing the project fell within the president's authority to improve the Executive Residence.
337 Articles
337 Articles
Court Ruling Says Trump Needs Congressional Approval for New White House Ballroom
Last Friday, a federal appeals court ruled that Trump cannot move forward with the construction of the ostentatious ballroom he plans to add to the White House without first receiving Congressional approval. “Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence,” the judges who made the ruling—Patricia […]
“Make-Believe Ballroom”: Two federal judges cause major snag in White House project
This article is for paid subscribers only.by Laura AinsworthPrior to the Trump era, how much White House renovation has been perpetrated by Presidents on their own executive authority, without congressional approval?Quite a lot, as it turns out. And we’re talking even about the interior of the actual White House, not just later additions.President Harry…
Abolish the District of Columbia’s Clown Courts - LewRockwell
Article III of the Constitution allows Congress to establish courts below the Supreme Court, which includes federal District and Circuit Courts. If Congress can establish them, it can abolish them. In 1801, in the waning days of John Adams’ presidency, Congress did just that and abolished the district and circuit courts of the District of Columbia. These two courts display widespread intransigent partisanship and demonstrably poor scholarship, e…
Donald Trump's ballroom is stopped for the time being. Such defeats in court repeatedly suffer the president. Does this mean that the institutions function as they should – and is that enough?
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
