It's happening. The Trump administration has requested that a court issue an emergency stay, after a judge ordered on Tuesday that the White House construction work to be stopped on President Trump's planned addition of a grand ballroom in the historic residence's East Wing.
RedState's Ward Clark wrote on Mar. 31:
In the latest development, a federal judge has ordered a halt to construction on President Trump's signature White House remodeling achievement, although the judge delayed implementation of the order on the big, beautiful White House addition.
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered construction of the White House ballroom project halted, siding with a historic preservation group that argued the effort violated federal law.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said the group is likely to succeed on the merits of its case, writing that "no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have," according to the ruling.
...
Judge Leon did note that the ballroom project could go on if Congress authorizes the project and/or allocates money specifically for the project.
Clark noted that we might soon see an appeal of the order, which halted the project, as it simultaneously kept it from going into effect for 14 days to allow for that appeal's filing. More on that in a minute.
As RedState previously wrote, the president has been keeping the country abreast of updates to the ballroom plans, which he originally announced in July 2025. At times, these bits of news on the old building being torn down have thrown Democrats into conniption fits, as is their wont.
Anyone watching the back-and-forth on this situation in the courts, though, could be forgiven for mistaking it for scenes from the 2026 Academy Award-nominated film, "Marty Supreme." (It's partly about pro table tennis, in case you missed it.)
READ MORE: New: Judge Hits Pause on Trump’s White House Ballroom Project
Find more on the legal front in this recent wrap-up column by my colleague, Susie Moore, here.
So, it's the day before Easter, and here's the latest legal move:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is arguing that a judge’s order to halt construction of a $400 million ballroom creates a security risk for President Donald Trump as it asks a federal appeals court to pause the ruling.
In a motion filed Friday, National Park Service lawyers say that the federal judge’s order to suspend construction of the new facility is “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the President and his family, and the President’s staff.”
“Time is of the essence!” the lawyers write, citing materials that will be installed to make a “heavily fortified” facility. The ballroom construction also includes bomb shelters, military installations and a medical facility, according to the filing.[..]
The Trump administration lawyers told the appeals court that the executive branch powers vested in the president give him “complete authority to renovate the White House,” also arguing that with the White House grounds left as essentially a construction zone, the safety of the White House and its inhabitants is put at increased risk, necessitating an emergency pause:
“Canvas tents, which are necessary without a ballroom, are significantly more vulnerable to missiles, drones, and other threats than a hardened national security facility,” the motion says.
What's next? National Park Service lawyers requested two things from the court: for its 14-day suspension of the judge's order to be renewed for another 14 days, as the lawyers plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court; and for it to decide on the petition for emergency relief by Friday, Apr. 10.
This is a developing story, so we will bring you updates as warranted by events.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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