President Donald Trump notched a short-term boost in his White House ballroom dispute after a U.S. appeals court paused a Washington judge’s order halting the construction.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled on Friday night that the Trump administration could continue the project while it waits to hear arguments on June 5 whether construction should be stopped during the appeal, court documents show.
This ruling temporarily blocks a decision made by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington on Thursday, which said the ballroom was unlawful without approval from Congress.
Why It Matters
The dispute, brought in a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation last year, tests presidential authority to alter the White House grounds without explicit congressional approval and weighs security claims against historic preservation laws after the East Wing’s demolition.
What To Know
Friday’s ruling does not settle the dispute but allows work tied to the project to continue in the near term as judges weigh next steps.
The court declined to immediately grant a request in the fast-moving case, instead setting a tight schedule for both sides to file arguments in the coming days.
Under the schedule, the National Park Service and other federal defendants — who filed the appeal — must submit their main arguments by May 8. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to block the project, has until May 27 to respond, with the government allowed a final reply by June 1.
Judges will then hear arguments in court on June 5, moving the case along quickly as they decide what to do next.
Just a day before this, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said the administration could proceed with excavations and construction of bunkers and other national security facilities under the site but must stop work on the ballroom structure itself unless Congress authorizes it.
This followed a D.C. Circuit directive asking him to more fully consider security issues raised by a pause, after he initially ruled that halting construction would not jeopardize national security.
On March 31, Leon had granted a preliminary injunction favoring the National Trust for Historic Preservation, finding no statute gave Trump authority to build the ballroom without congressional approval.
The D.C. Circuit’s April 11 order paused Leon’s block through April 17 and told him to reexamine how much of the project could be suspended without endangering presidential safety, prompting this week’s order.
Government lawyers argued the project includes features designed to counter drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards, while the National Trust maintained the work required congressional approval and threatened historic integrity, according to the Associated Press (AP).
The National Capital Planning Commission approved the project earlier in April, and Trump has said private donations would fund the ballroom, with public money covering underground security upgrades.
What Happens Next
The case now moves on a fast track, with both sides set to file written arguments over the coming weeks. After those briefs are in, a three-judge panel will hear oral arguments on June 5. The court could then rule quickly on whether to allow the project to proceed while the broader legal fight continues.
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