Court: No Ballroom Without Congressional Approval
A federal appeals court on Friday ordered the Trump administration to halt construction of its $400 million ballroom at the White House without congressional approval.
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qcp
Joined 2007/07/05Visited 2026/08/08
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US appeals court upholds injunction pausing Trump's White House ballroom https://aje.news/rl4kgn[image or embed] -- Al Jazeera English (@aljazeera.com) 5:00 PM · Aug 7, 2026
US appeals court upholds injunction pausing Trump's White House ballroom https://aje.news/rl4kgn[image or embed]
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More: In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction. The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
"Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help," the court wrote.
"This holding has nothing at all to do with whether the proposed ballroom is desirable, or not, as a matter of policy. This ruling does not even necessarily mean that the Defendants may not ultimately construct the ballroom.
"What it does mean," the court continued, "is that the Defendants may not do so during the district court's expeditious litigation without securing Congress's authorization, as the Constitution and laws require."
#1 | Posted by qcp at 2026-08-07 11:33 AM | Reply
The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
After which construction will begin immediately. Meanwhile, they can work on effing up the Lincolm Memorial and build the stupid arch.
Oh, and whitewashing Lafayette Park. And rebuilding the just built helipad. Tarping the rest of the Kennedy Center? Paving the reflecting pool with mirror tiles?
#2 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-08-07 11:39 AM | Reply
Another view ...
www.newsnationnow.com
... "We are aware of no instance in American history in which a President unilaterally and using privately collected funds demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized to be built and American taxpayers paid for. Until now," the majority wrote. The panel split along ideological lines. The majority comprised U.S. Circuit Judge Patricia Millett, an appointee of former President Obama, and U.S. Circuit Judge Brad Garcia, an appointee of former President Biden. In dissent, U.S. Circuit Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, said the preservationist group that is challenging Trump in court had no right to sue and the project was likely within the president's authority. "The district court seized supervision of construction at the White House, and my colleagues affirm this judicial overreach," Rao wrote. "Because the injunction is beyond the proper province of the federal courts, construction should be allowed to continue." ...
The panel split along ideological lines. The majority comprised U.S. Circuit Judge Patricia Millett, an appointee of former President Obama, and U.S. Circuit Judge Brad Garcia, an appointee of former President Biden.
In dissent, U.S. Circuit Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, said the preservationist group that is challenging Trump in court had no right to sue and the project was likely within the president's authority.
"The district court seized supervision of construction at the White House, and my colleagues affirm this judicial overreach," Rao wrote. "Because the injunction is beyond the proper province of the federal courts, construction should be allowed to continue." ...
#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-07 11:45 AM | Reply
@#3 ... the project was likely within the president's authority. ...
So, the dissenting Judge wavers when addressing the question of whether or not Pres Trump had the authority to do the partial destruction of the White House.
#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-07 11:47 AM | Reply
Old Yeller sure is letting his inner Franck Eggelhoffer cut loose.
#5 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-08-07 12:13 PM | Reply
"Trump can't build ballroom without congressional approval"
You'd think a "builder" would first find out the permitting requirements.
#6 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-07 12:31 PM | Reply
He don't need no steeking permit.
#7 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-08-07 12:40 PM | Reply
How's the underground bunker beneath the White House coming along?
Trump needs it to be completed before 2028 so he can hide in there.
#8 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-08-07 01:03 PM | Reply | Funny: 1
Contractors hate permits and will avoid them like the plague if they can. That's my experience in California.
#9 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-07 01:20 PM | Reply
Good contractors will tell you and include it in the cost right up front.
Bad ones find out later they need a permit and blame the owner for the oversight or avoid them entirely.
#10 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-07 01:23 PM | Reply
Another violation of the Constitution by a lawless convicted Felon.
#11 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-07 01:29 PM | Reply
So, how long ' till the next fake "assassination" attempt?
#12 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-08-07 03:08 PM | Reply
Trump says he'll appeal decision halting ballroom construction to the Supreme Court www.nbcnews.com
... A federal appeals court found that whether "a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help." ...
#13 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-07 03:52 PM | Reply
Pres Trump - April 13, 2020 "When somebody's the president of the U.S., the authority is total, and that's the way it's gotta be."
#14 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-07 05:11 PM | Reply
@#14
www.nbcnews.com
... He continued: "When somebody's the president of the U.S., the authority is total, and that's the way it's gotta be." ...
#15 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-07 07:43 PM | Reply
All he wants is his own permanent place at 1600A Pennsylvania Avenue.
I need to check Zillow and see if there's such an address in Moscow.
#16 | Posted by Dbt2 at 2026-08-08 08:30 AM | Reply
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