Trump says White House ballroom ruling jeopardizes lives of future presidents, vows Supreme Court appeal

After a panel of federal judges ordered construction on the White House ballroom to stop, President Donald Trump said he will immediately appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a 2-1 decision on Friday blocking above-ground construction of the proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom project, which replaced the demolished East Wing. Trump responded on Truth Social, characterizing the ruling as "horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful." In his statement, Trump contended that the decision "severely jeopardizes the lives and welfare of the people who work...at the White House — including all future Presidents of the United States, and their families." The appeals court determined that authority to build such a "massive ballroom" rests with Congress rather than the executive branch. Judges Patricia Millett and Brad Garcia noted there is "no instance in American history in which a President unilaterally...demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized." The ruling allows work to continue on underground national-security facilities and certain safety measures. Construction was stayed for 14 days to permit Trump to seek Supreme Court review, though it remains unclear whether the Court will accept the case. Trump emphasized the project is funded privately and positioned as "a Gift from President Trump and Great Patriots."