Trump Calls Court Order Halting Ballroom Construction ‘A National Security Threat at the Highest Level’ 

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

President Donald Trump railed against a pair of judges who on Friday ruled that he must halt his construction of a ballroom where the White House’s East Wing once stood, calling their ruling “a National Security Threat at the highest level.”

The president claimed the ballroom will double as a “Military Complex” and has vowed to take the ballroom fight to the Supreme Court.

In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the construction is unlawful because it has not been approved by Congress.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court wrote. The two judges who sided against Trump were appointed by Barack Obama and Joe Biden, respectively. The dissenting judge was appointed by Trump.

Hours later on Truth Social, the president raged at the court, claiming the ballroom is necessary for national security purposes and that the ruling represents a threat to the country:

Two Judges, one appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, the other by Sleepy Joe Biden, said in a ruling on the desperately needed SECURE Ballroom/Military Complex, including a major DronePort on the roof, that “Each President is a temporary tenant…of the White House.” We are not tenants, who pay rent and do all other things that a tenant must do, we are PRESIDENTS, elected by the people of the United States of America, and have many rights, including the right to fix, renovate, secure, protect, and beautify the White House grounds, which has been built and rebuilt, renovated and rerenovated, repaired and, simply, MADE BETTER, many times since 1792, and never needing the permission of Congress, or anyone else, to do so. This decision, made after much of the work has been done and paid for, is a National Security Threat at the highest level. It is also a National Disgrace. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Trump has taken a personal interest in several construction and renovation projects in Washington, D.C., including the ballroom. Last year, he clashed with the architect over the size of the new structure. James McCrery II expressed concern to Trump that the 90,000-square-foot structure would dwarf the White House, which is 55,000 square feet. In December, Trump fired McCrery.

The president has claimed that no taxpayer money would be spent on the ballroom – whose estimated costs have gradually increased – because it would be funded entirely via private donations. However, the project, which now carries a $600 million price tag, most of which is being footed by taxpayers, according to invoices viewed by The Washington Post.

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