Federal Appeals Court Blocks White House Ballroom Construction, Citing Congressional Authority

A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump likely lacks the legal authority to demolish and rebuild portions of the White House without congressional approval, blocking the construction of a proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The court affirmed a preliminary injunction, stating that the Constitution's Property Clause grants Congress control over federal property and that a 1912 statute prohibits erecting buildings on federal parkland in D.C. without explicit congressional authority.