Key Facts

• The White House ballroom project costs $400 million and replaces the East Wing, which was demolished last fall.
• A three-judge appeals court panel ruled that President Trump cannot build the ballroom without Congress’s approval.
• The court’s decision to stop construction is scheduled to take effect on August 21.
• The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to delay the stop-work order while they appeal the ruling.
• The administration says the ballroom is needed for national security and that the president has full authority to renovate the White House without Congress.
• Historic preservationists sued to stop the ballroom construction, but the administration says they do not have the legal right to do so.
• The Justice Department argues that the lawsuit threatens the security of the White House since the site is currently an open construction zone.
• During court hearings, the government lawyer argued the president has broad control over public landmarks, even hypothetically saying the government could remove the Statue of Liberty.