Appeals court halts Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom

A federal appeals court on Friday blocked construction of President Donald Trump’s planned $400 million White House ballroom, finding that Congress must approve the project before work can proceed. The two-judge majority said the president lacks constitutional authority to make such major changes to the Executive Residence on his own. Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia ruled for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to stop the project. They wrote that the White House is not the president’s personal property and that any decision on a large new ballroom belongs to Congress. Judge Neomi Rao dissented, arguing the group lacked standing and warning that stopping work could create security risks at an active construction site. The order takes effect in two weeks unless a higher court intervenes.