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Trump's White House ballroom project stalled

From Morgunblaðið · () Icelandic

Translated from Icelandic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • An appeals court ordered a halt to construction on Donald Trump's new White House ballroom.
  • The court ruled that such a project requires congressional approval, as a president is a temporary tenant, not an owner, of the White House.
  • Trump called the decision "horrendous" and "politically motivated," vowing to appeal to the Supreme Court.

A federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to halt construction on a new ballroom at the White House, a project largely funded by private donations. The court ruled that the president, as a temporary tenant, cannot fundamentally reshape the executive residence without congressional approval.

Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House.

— US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia CircuitThe court explained its reasoning for halting the construction project.

The ruling, which upheld a lower court's preliminary injunction, stated that deciding whether to build a massive ballroom is a matter for Congress, not executive self-help. The appeals court has placed its ruling on hold for 14 days 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.

— US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia CircuitThe court majority emphasized that Congress, not the executive branch, should determine the fate of such a large construction project.

Donald Trump denounced the decision as "horrendous, politically driven and unlawful," vowing an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court. He described the project as a "military center" essential for security, including bomb shelters and missile defense features. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to block the construction, called the ruling a victory for the public's right to voice opinions about cherished historic places.

horrendous, politically driven and unlawful

— Donald TrumpTrump's reaction to the appeals court's decision to halt construction on the White House ballroom.

The project, estimated to cost $400 million, involved demolishing the East Wing to build an 8,360-square-meter ballroom. This legal battle is one of several instances where the Trump administration has faced challenges over its efforts to reshape Washington's landscape.

This unjust decision must be overturned by the Supreme Court in its entirety.

— Donald TrumpTrump's statement regarding his intention to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Morgunblaðið in Icelandic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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