Donald Trump’s ballroom construction cleared to continue for now, US appeals court says

A US appeals court on Friday night allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to continue construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House, temporarily pausing a lower court order that had halted the project.

A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit put the preliminary injunction on hold while it considers a request from the US Justice Department for a longer pause during the appeal.

The court scheduled a hearing for June 5 to decide whether construction should remain suspended while the case proceeds. Its order did not address the merits of the lawsuit, which challenges the administration’s authority to build the ballroom.

The case was filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argues the project is unlawful without approval from Congress. The lawsuit followed the demolition of the White House’s East Wing, carried out to make way for the new structure.

The trust and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The ruling temporarily blocks a decision issued a day earlier by Richard Leon, who found the project unlawful without congressional authorization.

Trump has promoted the ballroom as a major addition to the White House, saying it will modernize facilities and improve security. The administration has also said the project is being funded entirely by private donors.