Trump, appeals court blocks the White House ballroom

A federal court in Washington has ruled that Donald Trump must suspend the construction of the mega ballroom at the White House. This is reported by the Washington Post. The court confirmed the ruling issued in April by a federal judge, according to which most of the construction work on the ballroom must be halted until Congress has expressly authorized the project. “Every president is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its executive residence,” wrote judges Patricia A. Millett and Bradley N. Garcia in the ruling. The ruling will be stayed for 14 days to allow the White House to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Read more The Tax Authority as business tutor increases appeal: 224 companies already admitted

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals stated that this block “has nothing to do” with the validity of the project itself, but is due to the fact that the President of the United States started the work without obtaining Congress’s approval. The Administration does not have “unlimited authority” to “redesign, modify, and rebuild the White House to satisfy a president’s personal desire,” the Court said. In October, the Republican president had an entire wing of the White House demolished with bulldozers to build this ballroom, intended to host up to 1,000 people for various receptions and dinners in honor of foreign dignitaries. The planned budget, funded through private donations, has increased from 200 million to 400 million dollars. The project is challenged in court by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (Nthp), a nonprofit organization entrusted by Congress with the preservation of historic buildings. Donald Trump, for his part, insists that this structure will also help strengthen the security of the White House and Washington, hosting, for example, a drone platform.

Read more Baps pushes on loans: 223 million to families and businesses in the first half-year