Appeals court rules Trump’s White House ballroom project unlawful

A divided federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump is unlawfully constructing a new ballroom at the White House, siding with the nation's leading historic preservation group in a case that could reach the Supreme Court.

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, said presidents do not own the White House and have no constitutional authority to redesign it as they see fit. "Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence," the unsigned opinion stated, adding that the property is maintained "for the use of all Presidents, current and future, and for the American people."

The court found that Congress has not given the executive branch unrestricted power to "dramatically redesign, reshape, and reconstruct" the White House to suit an individual president's wishes. Judges paused the ruling for two weeks, giving the Trump administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court.

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