Appeals court allows all White House ballroom construction to resume

Construction of a ballroom and presidential bunker at the White House will continue for now, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia granted an administrative stay of an order earlier this week that blocked most above-ground construction. 

The next hearing in the case is set for June 5, according to the court’s briefing schedule, so construction will likely continue through at least then. 

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon temporarily blocked construction of the ballroom in March. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia then ordered him to reconsider the national security implications of halting the work. Leon clarified that work on an underground presidential bunker could continue, but said most above-ground construction must stop. 

The Justice Department filed an appeal in Leon’s ruling on Thursday, arguing Leon’s ruling “would imperil the President and national security and indefinitely leave a large hole beside the Executive Residence.” 

President Trump blasted Leon’s decision on TruthSocial, calling him a “highly political Judge” making an “illegal overreach.” 

“The Ballroom is deeply important to our National Security, and no Judge can be allowed to stop this Historic and Militarily Imperative Project,” Mr. Trump wrote. In another post, Mr. Trump said “the underground doesn’t work, isn’t necessary, and would indeed be useless, without the above ground sections.”

Mr. Trump announced plans for a privately funded White House ballroom last summer and unexpectedly demolished the East Wing in October. The National Trust for Historical Preservation sued to block construction of a new East Wing late last year.