Federal judges say White House ballroom construction can continue, for now [View all]

Source: Washington Post

April 11, 2026 at 1:32 p.m. EDT


A panel of federal judges is allowing construction to continue for now on President Donald Trump's planned White House ballroom while instructing a lower court that temporarily halted the project to seek more information on whether a pause poses a national security risk as Trump claims.

The three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit consists of Patricia Ann Millett, an appointee of President Barack Obama; Bradley Garcia, an appointee of President Joe Biden; and Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee.

Rao dissented, arguing that the plaintiff in the case, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit charged by Congress with helping to preserve historic buildings, lacked the standing to sue.

In its order issued Saturday, the panel instructed U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, who in March ordered a halt to Trump's planned $400 million project until the White House obtains approval from Congress, to clarify how his earlier ruling "will ensure safety and security pending litigation." The White House and the National Trust for Historic Preservation did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/11/judges-trump-ballroom-appeal/