U.S. President Donald Trump announced an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal court blocked construction of a new White House ballroom.
A federal appeals court in Washington ruled two to one on Friday that Trump cannot build the massive ballroom without approval from Congress.
The court stated that whether to construct a giant ballroom is a decision for Congress rather than an issue for unilateral executive action.
Judges ruled in favor of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which filed the lawsuit challenging the construction project.
The appeals court put the implementation of its ruling on hold for two weeks, providing the president time to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Presidential Response and Legal Objections
Trump strongly criticized the judicial decision, calling the ruling a national disgrace and a threat to national security at the highest level.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump stated that the decision was horrible, politically motivated, and illegal after much of the work was already completed and funded.
Trump noted that two judges on the panel ruled against him, identifying them as appointees of former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden.
Judge Patricia Millett, appointed by Obama, and Judge Brad Garcia, appointed by Biden, voted to block the project, while Judge Neomi Rao, appointed by Trump, dissented.
Ballroom Dimensions and Site History
The legal dispute arose after Trump demolished the East Wing of the White House last year to clear space for the new structure.
The planned ballroom covers approximately 89,000 square feet, or about 8,270 square meters, making it larger than the main White House building.
The original White House main building occupies roughly 5,110 square meters, meaning the new ballroom will surpass the primary residence in size.
Construction work has already advanced significantly, with Trump taking a direct role in design choices from floor plans to marble selection.
Trump aims to complete the ballroom in the summer of 2028, a few months before his presidency ends.
Underground Bunker and Security Facilities
Beneath the proposed ballroom, workers are constructing a top secret underground bunker complex designed to modernize White House security infrastructure.
Trump said the underground facilities will feature bomb shelters, medical rooms, classified military equipment, and protection systems against missiles, drones, gunfire, and explosions.
The appeals court explicitly allowed construction on the subterranean bunker complex to continue even while the above ground ballroom remains frozen.
Project Financing and Cost Estimates
Trump presented the ballroom as a gift funded by himself and private American donors.
Despite describing the project as donor funded, his administration requested hundreds of millions of dollars from Congress to support the construction.
Reports on project expenses vary, with TRT World reporting a cost of 400 million dollars and The Washington Post reporting in June 2026 that expenses reached 600 million dollars with taxpayers covering half.
Congressional Democrats stated in May 2026 that Republicans sought to allocate 1 billion dollars in public funds toward the ballroom project.
Related Coverage and Regional News
In other news reported alongside the legal challenge, local business owners in Crete described incidents involving tourists seeking illegal acts involving minors.
Demographic reports highlighted the decline of very large families in Greece amidst an aging national population.
Financial updates noted plans for 50 billion euros in data center investments over the coming decade.
Former NBA center Enes Kanter publicly claimed he meets inclusion criteria to apply for entry into the WNBA.
Basketball player Cedi Osman and his wife made headlines during their vacation in Turkey.
Actress Lila Baklesi gave birth to her first child, accompanied by social media posts from her partner.
Diplomatic tension between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni prompted Spain to institute border controls on flights and ships from Italy over Ceuta.
Police in London faced public criticism after releasing a 40 year old visually impaired man accused of serial assault and murder.
Italian dancer Francesca Toca shared photos from a recent holiday on social media.
