A federal appeals court handed President Donald Trump a win Friday, clearing the way for his $400 million White House ballroom project to move forward, at least for now.
A three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit temporarily paused an order from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon that had blocked above-ground construction at the site of the former East Wing. The appeals court set a June 5 hearing to take a closer look at the dispute.
Leon ruled a day earlier that construction on the 90,000-square-foot ballroom could not proceed above ground, allowing only underground work tied to a bunker and other “national security facilities” to continue.
White House ballroom rendering
Trump moved ahead with the project after tearing down the East Wing last fall, aiming to replace it with a large-scale ballroom he has long pushed for. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to stop the build, arguing the administration skipped required approvals from federal agencies and Congress.
Leon sided with the group in late March, but briefly delayed enforcement of his order and allowed underground construction to continue. The administration quickly appealed, setting up the latest clash.
Trump has framed the ballroom as a long-overdue upgrade to the White House complex, saying the project will be funded by private donations from wealthy backers and corporations. Taxpayer money, however, is expected to cover security-related costs tied to the build.
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