A federal appeals court has temporarily allowed construction on a new White House ballroom to proceed, pausing a lower court order that had halted the project. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals directed the district judge overseeing the case to take a closer look at national security concerns raised by the Trump administration. The ruling keeps construction viable through at least April 17.
Construction on a new ballroom at the White House may continue for the time being after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a split decision Saturday temporarily blocking a lower court order that had stopped the project.
The project has become the centerpiece of a legal dispute between the Trump administration and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization that filed suit in December seeking to halt construction. The controversy stems from the demolition of the White House East Wing to make way for the new facility.
The appeals court’s 2-1 ruling put a temporary hold on an injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, who halted construction in March on the grounds that the president had not obtained the required authorization from Congress before proceeding.
The majority, composed of Judge Patricia Millett, an Obama appointee, and Judge Bradley Garcia, appointed by President Joe Biden, directed Leon to revise his ruling to more fully address security and safety implications. The Trump administration has maintained that stopping construction leaves the White House exposed to potential threats.
The third member of the panel, Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, dissented. In her opinion, she argued the injunction should have been suspended indefinitely while the administration’s appeal moves forward. Rao contended that the administration had presented credible evidence of ongoing security vulnerabilities and that these concerns outweighed what she characterized as aesthetic objections raised by a single member of the preservation organization.
The National Trust responded cautiously to the ruling. Its president and chief executive officer, Carol Quillen, said the organization welcomed the court’s prompt action and expressed continued commitment to preserving the historical character of the White House. Quillen also emphasized the value of broad public consultation in decisions affecting nationally significant landmarks.
The appeals court’s majority left the door open for the Trump administration to seek emergency relief from the Supreme Court before the April 17 deadline.
