Federal Appeals Panel Allows Construction on President Trump's White House Ballroom to Continue Until June
Construction on President Trump's White House ballroom has been allowed to continue until June by a federal appeals panel, following a decision by a federal judge to limit the project to below-ground construction. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit granted the Trump administration a stay of the judge's order and scheduled arguments for June 5 to reconsider the construction. The project, estimated at $400 million, includes missile-resistant steel columns, drone-proof roofing materials, and bullet-, ballistic-, and blast-proof glass, along with top-secret military installations, medical facilities, and bomb shelters. President Trump criticized the judge's decision, calling it an "illegal overreach" and emphasizing the importance of the ballroom for national security. The Department of Justice filed an appeal to prevent the ruling from jeopardizing the President and national security. The project has faced legal challenges from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, seeking to ensure compliance with federal laws and obtain congressional approval.