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A federal appeals court has allowed construction on President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom to continue for now.
In a 2-1 decision on April 11, justices of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit work allowed on the ballroom project to continue at least until Friday. The court has sent the case back to Senior US District Judge Richard Leon, who he ordered the work to stop on March 31.
Leon’s ruling stated that it was not within the president’s power to modify the White House with major construction projects without congressional approval. The original deadline for stopping work was 14 days, or this week.
The appeal of the federal government is based on the argument that we must continue to work for safety and security. This includes making sure the workplace is safe. But the appeal also claims the project includes “national security upgrades” in underground work.
In response, the appeals court ordered Leon to “expeditiously address the pending motion to clarify how the requirement and its exception will ensure security” in the White House project.
In their ruling, Justices Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia, appointed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, respectively, called for more clarity on which aspects of the ballroom are related to national safety and security and therefore must resume work.
“As a result, it is unclear whether and to what extent the development of certain aspects of the proposed ballroom is necessary to ensure the safety and security of those underground national security improvements or otherwise to ensure the safety of the White House and its occupants while the appeal proceeds,” the decision said.
In her dissent, Trump-appointed Judge Neomi Rao said safety vulnerabilities “extended by the construction shutdown” meant the federal government should grant the stay and work should be allowed to continue.
