00:00A major legal setback has hit President Donald Trump's ambitious plan to reshape the White House.
00:07A U.S. federal appeals court has ordered the administration to halt construction of a controversial $400 million White House
00:16ballroom,
00:16ruling that the president cannot fundamentally alter the historic complex without approval from Congress.
00:23The decision has reignited a constitutional battle over presidential authority, historic preservation, and national security.
00:32And now, the dispute appears headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
00:37In a significant ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered the Trump administration
00:43to halt above-ground construction of the proposed White House ballroom.
00:48The project, estimated to cost $400 million, was planned on the site of the demolished East Wing.
00:55In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court upheld an earlier injunction secured by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
01:03The organization sued after the administration demolished the East Wing and began constructing a massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom
01:13without first obtaining authorization from Congress.
01:16The court delivered a strong constitutional message.
01:20Writing for the majority, the judges stated,
01:22Each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner of the White House.
01:27They ruled that any major structural transformation of the historic presidential residence requires congressional approval.
01:35The judges stressed that deciding whether such a ballroom should be built is a matter for Congress, not unilateral executive
01:43action.
01:44However, the court stopped short of permanently blocking the project.
01:49Instead, it temporarily halted above-ground construction while the legal challenge continues.
01:54The ruling has been stayed for 14 days, giving the Trump administration time to appeal to the U.S. Supreme
02:01Court.
02:02President Trump reacted swiftly.
02:04In a post on Truth Social, he called the ruling horrendous and politically motivated.
02:09He insisted the ballroom is not simply a ceremonial venue, but a vital national security project.
02:16According to Trump, the proposed structure would include bomb shelters, advanced medical facilities, drone and missile protection,
02:25and integrated security infrastructure designed to safeguard the president, White House staff, and visiting dignitaries.
02:32The administration argues that the existing East Wing left the White House vulnerable to modern security threats,
02:39and that the project is essential for both protection and official state functions.
02:44Justice Department lawyers echoed that argument during court proceedings,
02:48saying national security concerns should outweigh objections over historic preservation.
02:54But the appeals court rejected that position.
02:57The majority wrote that national security is not an automatic exemption from the law,
03:03emphasizing that executive authority still operates within constitutional limits.
03:08The judges warned that allowing any president to reshape historic federal property without oversight
03:15would undermine America's constitutional system.
03:19Not everyone on the panel agreed.
03:20Circuit Judge Naomi Rao, appointed by Trump during his first term, dissented.
03:25She argued that the lower court had overstepped its authority by supervising construction decisions at the White House,
03:32and said the project should be allowed to continue while the legal process unfolds.
03:36The ballroom project is among several initiatives by the Trump administration,
03:41aimed at reshaping Washington's federal landscape.
03:45Supporters describe it as a modernization effort.
03:48Critics see it as an attempt to alter historic national landmarks without proper legislative approval.
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