Trump ballroom renovation allowed to proceed, for now

A federal appeals court ruled that President Donald Trump’s $400 million renovation of the White House ballroom can go ahead, albeit temporarily, and called on a district judge to clarify national security questions.

The project aims to build a massive ballroom in the East Wing of the White House, which was previously known to house the First Lady’s offices. It was demolished in September.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 to give the administration until April 17 to continue working on the project and “seek Supreme Court review” in the court decision released Saturday.

The order also calls on federal district court Judge Richard Leon to clarify questions about White House safety and security in previous hearings.

Last month, Leon ordered a halt to construction, saying Trump needed congressional approval for the project.

In that order, Leon wrote that Trump is a “steward” of the White House, adding: “But he is not the owner!”
The lawsuit against the renewal was filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States.