A federal appeals court on August 7, 2026, upheld a lower‑court injunction that stops the Trump administration from building a new ballroom in the White House. The decision centers on whether privately donated “patriotic” funds can be used for a project that has not received congressional approval.
Background on the proposed ballroom
President Donald Trump has promoted a $400 million ballroom to replace the former East Wing of the White House. The administration has said that private donations from supporters will cover at least part of the cost, arguing that this eliminates the need for a specific congressional appropriation.
Legal framework for government donations
U.S. citizens can make tax‑deductible contributions to certain federal programs, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Arboretum, and AmeriCorps, but only when Congress has granted the receiving agency statutory authority to accept those gifts. The Bureau of Fiscal Services maintains a historic account, dating to 1843, for “patriotic” gifts intended to reduce the national debt.
Since 1982, the Miscellaneous Receipts Act requires that any money received by a federal agency be deposited in the Treasury and used only as Congress directs. Agencies may accept gifts only when an explicit statutory provision allows it. The Justice Department, State Department, and Library of Congress have such authority, but the White House does not.
The court’s reasoning
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that neither the National Park Service—steward of the parkland on which the White House sits—nor the President satisfied all statutory requirements to erect a new structure on federal grounds without express congressional approval. The court noted that the National Park Service’s authority is limited to conservation and preservation, not new construction.
While the President does have authority to spend funds for the “care, maintenance, repair, alteration, refurnishing, and improvement” of the executive residence, that authority is contingent on an accompanying appropriation from Congress. No such appropriation exists for the ballroom project.
Implications of the ruling
The injunction remains in place until a possible Supreme Court review. It does not affect work on an underground military bunker that the administration began renovating after demolishing the East Wing in October 2025.
Legal scholars note that this may be the first instance in American history where a President attempts to use privately collected funds to demolish and rebuild a portion of the White House without congressional authorization.
What comes next?
If the administration wishes to proceed, it must seek explicit congressional authorization and appropriate funding for the ballroom. Until then, construction is halted, and the White House will continue to operate without the proposed new space.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
