Trump Ordered by Appeals Court to Stop White House Ballroom Construction
A federal appeals court blocked further construction of President Trump’s planned White House ballroom Friday, ruling that the massive project must first receive congressional approval.
A divided panel of DC circuit judges determined that “Congress has exclusive authority to regulate the construction and demolition of White House structures.”
“We are aware of no instance in American history in which a President unilaterally and using privately collected funds demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized to be built and American taxpayers paid for. Until now,” wrote judges Patricia Millet and Bradley Garcia in their majority opinion.
“The Constitution’s Property Clause vests Congress with plenary control over all real property that belongs to the United States,” added Millet and Garcia, appointees of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, respectively.
“Congress has not ceded unfettered authority to the Executive Branch to dramatically redesign, reshape, and reconstruct the White House — the People’s House — to fit a particular President’s desires.” (Read more from “Trump Ordered by Appeals Court to Stop White House Ballroom Construction” HERE)
