Trump rages at ‘national disgrace’ after judges slap down beloved ballroom remodel, setting up a Supreme Court showdown

A US federal appeals court has ordered Donald Trump to halt construction of his controversial White House ballroom, prompting an furious response from the president, who has vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 on Friday that work must stop, siding with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued the administration never sought the congressional authorisation required for such a major alteration to the building.

The $400 million (£315 million) project, which spans roughly 90,000 square feet, involved demolishing the White House's East Wing, sparking legal action from preservationists. The majority ruling stated that decisions on building a "massive ballroom" rest with Congress, not the executive branch, prompting Trump to brand the judges, both Democratic appointees, and their decision a "National Disgrace" and a "National Security Threat" on Truth Social. The ruling is suspended for 14 days to allow an appeal, with construction having already been paused twice previously; a lower court judge had earlier permitted underground work to continue while blocking above-ground building.