Federal Appeals Court Rules Trump Cannot Build White House Ballroom Without Congressional Approval

A divided federal appeals court ruled on Friday, August 7, 2026, that President Donald Trump's administration must halt aboveground construction of a proposed $400 million White House ballroom, citing a lack of congressional approval for the project. The court sided with historic preservationists who had sued to stop the construction. President Trump has criticized the decision as 'unjust' and vowed to appeal it to the U.S. Supreme Court. The ruling allows underground work, including the construction of bunkers and other national security facilities, to proceed.