The appellate court ordered to stop the construction of Trump’s White House ballroom

Washington – The U.S. federal appeals court for the District of Columbia ruled by a two-to-one margin and upheld the preliminary injunction issued by a lower court based on a lawsuit by preservationists. At the same time, the appeals court delayed the effectiveness of its decision by 14 days so that the Trump administration could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

And that is exactly what the U.S. president is preparing to do. He wrote on the social network Truth Social that his administration will appeal immediately. He also claimed that the current ruling of the appeals court is terrible, politically motivated, and illegal. He believes that the Supreme Court will completely overturn the verdict.

The administration turned to the appeals court after District Judge Richard Leon twice blocked above-ground work at the construction site while allowing the continuation of underground work. Leon, who was appointed by Republican former President George W. Bush, stated that no federal law comes close to giving the president the necessary authority to build a hall without the consent of Congress.

The White House announced the construction of the hall, covering an area of about 8,360 square meters, last summer, stating that it would cost about $200 million (about 4.2 billion CZK) and that it would be funded by Trump and private donors. Last October, the administration had the east wing of the White House demolished for the construction, where, among other things, the First Lady's office was located. The government describes the hall as essential for hosting large social events and for the security of the White House.