BREAKING: U.S. Appeals Court Makes Decision On President Trump’s White House Ballroom Project

You would think that after what occurred at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the U.S. Court of Appeals would be more diligent in its decision.

On Friday morning, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit blocked the Trump White House from continuing construction for the White House ballroom.

In the 2-1 ruling, the Court upheld a preliminary injunction sought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued the White House to stop construction before the White House obtained congressional approval.

CNBC reported further details on the Court’s decision and what happens next:

A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing, dealing the Republican leader a major setback in a case testing his presidential authority.

The Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in a divided 2-1 order upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued last year after the administration tore down the East Wing and began building a 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-meter) ballroom without seeking authorization from Congress.

The appeals court placed its ruling on hold for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Trump appealed after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon twice blocked above-ground construction on the site while allowing underground work to continue.

Leon, an appointee of Republican former President George W. Bush, had ruled that no federal statute “comes close to giving the President” the required authority to construct the ballroom without congressional approval.

The ballroom plan, which the administration has described as necessary for large formal functions and to preserve the safety of the White House, is the grandest of several Trump efforts to reshape central Washington’s landscape of government buildings and national monuments.

A judge in a separate lawsuit recently said Trump’s name was illegally added to the exterior of the Kennedy Center performing arts center and ordered its removal.

The purpose of the ballroom was to ensure the safety of the U.S. President, the Presidential Cabinet, and foreign diplomats during events.

President Trump also hinted that a military complex would be included in the construction.

Take a look:

Trump on Ballroom: I'm building this big military complex including a lot of different things and some of the things I can't even talk about. pic.twitter.com/vhXExeea62

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 5, 2026

The Hill reported rapper Lil Wayne is in favor of the ballroom being built:

Rapper Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., whose stage name is Lil Wayne, on Monday praised President Trump for constructing a White House ballroom that would provide an indoor space for performers, events and diplomatic ceremonies.

“I’m so glad to hear Trump say — when they was mad at him about building the ballroom — and he was like, everything we do we have to do it on the d*** lawn,” Carter said during a Monday appearance on the “Friends Keep Secrets” podcast.

“So people who don’t know nothing, [are] hearing that thinking he’s just being Trump — no, for real, I was glad to hear him saying that,” the rapper added.

During the segment, Carter reflected on his 2023 performance for former Vice President Kamala Harris at her 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop party, which was hosted outside at the vice-presidential residence, Number One Observatory Circle.

Carter mistakenly thought he appeared at the White House and said the event resembled a “backyard barbeque,” noting that he was shocked after not being invited inside.
In order to accommodate guests and heightened security protocols, many large-scale events at the White House are hosted outdoors on the South Lawn.

However, Trump said an indoor ballroom would be more appropriate for prominent gatherings.

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Following the White House Correspondents Dinner shooting earlier this year, the president said a large space inside the White House would be more secure than hosting the annual event offsite, citing the presence of various Cabinet officials and high-profile attendees.

Watch Lil Wayne here:

Rapper Lil Wayne ENDORSES Trump’s ballroom while speaking on Friends Keep Secrets show pic.twitter.com/MVc0d95lO6

— RTBreaking (@RT_Breaking) July 22, 2026