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A federal appeals court dealt a major blow to US President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project on Friday, upholding a lower court order to halt above-ground construction because Congress never authorised the build.
A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit voted 2-1 to uphold the injunction, ruling that the administration cannot proceed without congressional approval as required by the Constitution.
However, the court permitted underground work to continue for a planned military bunker. It stayed its decision for two weeks to give the administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The majority opinion emphasised that the ruling focused strictly on statutory and constitutional limits rather than the policy merits of the project itself.
Trump unilaterally initiated the massive construction project last year after complaining that the White House lacked sufficient capacity for large-scale state dinners and galas.
Workers began the project by demolishing the historic East Wing, marking one of several ambitious capital projects—including renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and a massive arch—that Trump seeks to complete before his term ends in 2029.
