The D.C. Circuit blocked continued work on Trump’s White House ballroom project for two weeks.
Why it matters: The ruling temporarily halts a major change to the White House grounds while the legal fight continues. It also gives the Trump administration a short window to ask the Supreme Court to step in.
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, to stop continued construction on the ballroom project.
- The court stayed its ruling for two weeks so the Trump administration can seek Supreme Court review.
- The case involves a planned White House ballroom project that reporting has put at about $400 million and at the East Wing site in Washington, D.C.
- The National Trust for Historic Preservation is the lead plaintiff in the case, according to reporting on the litigation.
A divided federal appeals court on Friday blocked continued work on the Trump administration's White House ballroom project, according to Reuters. The order keeps the project on hold while the legal fight moves forward.
The dispute centers on whether the administration can proceed with a large new ballroom at the White House without congressional approval. AP said the project would cost about $400 million and would affect the East Wing site in Washington, D.C.
The appeals court did not make its ruling immediate. It stayed enforcement for two weeks, giving the administration time to ask the Supreme Court to intervene, Reuters reported.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is the lead plaintiff in the case, and it has argued the project exceeds presidential authority and raises preservation concerns, AP reported.
The litigation has already moved through the lower courts. AP said a district court issued an injunction on March 31, 2026, and an appellate stay followed on April 17, 2026, before Friday's ruling put the project back on hold.
By the numbers
- $400 million - reported cost of the planned ballroom project
- 2 weeks - time the D.C. Circuit stayed its ruling to allow a Supreme Court appeal
- March 31, 2026 - date a district court issued an injunction in the case
What's next: The Trump administration can seek Supreme Court review during the two-week stay.