Judge told to reconsider national security implications of halting Trump’s White House ballroom

Artist renderings of the new White House East Wing and Ballroom are photographed Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick) 2026-04-11T19:43:30Z WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge must reconsider the possible national security implications of halting construction of President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom , an appeals court ruled on Saturday. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said it did not have enough information to decide how much of the project can be suspended without jeopardizing the safety of the president, his family or the White House staff. The case was returned to the trial judge who, in a March 31 ruling, barred work from proceeding without congressional approval, but suspended enforcement of that order for 14 days. The appeals court extended that for three days, to April 17, to allow the Trump administration to seek Supreme Court review. The panel instructed U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to clarify whether — and how — his injunction interferes with the administration’s plans for safety and security. Government lawyers had argued that the project includes critical security features to guard against a range of possible threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards and that holding up construction “would imperil the President and others who live and work in the White House,.” Leon, in issuing the temporary pause, concluded that the preservationist group behind the legal challenge was likely to succeed because the president lacks the authority to build the ballroom without approval from Congress. (