President Donald Trump sharply criticized two federal judges on Friday after a divided appeals court blocked his administration’s plan to construct a $400 million ballroom and military complex at the White House, arguing that presidents possess inherent authority to modify the historic property without congressional approval.
The federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration must halt construction of the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which would replace the existing East Wing. The court found that the president lacks unilateral authority to undertake the project because Congress did not authorize it.
In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump took aim at the judges’ reasoning and their appointment backgrounds, explicitly noting that one was appointed by former President Barack Obama and the other by former President Joe Biden.
Presidential Authority Dispute
Trump quoted the judges’ opinion, which stated that “each President is a temporary tenant … of the White House,” a characterization he strongly rejected.
“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,” Trump wrote.
The president argued that the White House “has been built and rebuilt, renovated and rerenovated, repaired and, simply, MADE BETTER, many times since 1792, and never needing the permission of Congress.”
National Security Concerns
Trump characterized the court’s decision as a threat to national security, emphasizing that the ruling halted a project already substantially underway and funded. According to the president, the complex would include critical security infrastructure, including a drone port on the roof.
Prior to the court’s ruling, Trump had shared an aerial photograph on Truth Social showing active construction at the White House’s East Wing. In that post, he indicated the project was progressing on budget and ahead of schedule.
In a Tuesday Truth Social post, Trump described the military complex under construction and mentioned that while the drone port structure was not yet visible in photographs, the steel components had already been fabricated and awaited installation.
Project Scope and Cost
The ambitious project carries a price tag of $400 million and would dramatically alter the White House footprint. The proposed ballroom would span 90,000 square feet, representing a significant expansion of the executive mansion’s event and hosting capabilities.
The military complex component of the project reflects Trump’s emphasis on enhanced security measures for the White House grounds, including advanced drone detection and response capabilities positioned atop the new structure.
The court’s decision creates uncertainty about the future of the partially completed construction and raises questions about whether the Trump administration will seek congressional authorization or pursue further legal appeals to continue the project.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/08/07/trump-blames-judges-appointed-obama-biden-blocking-ballroom-project/