Judges clear path for White House ballroom construction as review continues

A federal panel allowed ongoing construction of the White House ballroom to proceed for now, sending the lower court that briefly halted the project to gather more information on whether pausing it would pose a national-security risk, a claim raised by Trump aides. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s lawsuit argues the project lacks congressional approval, and one judge, Neomi Rao, dissented on standing. The decision avoids an immediate halt while the broader legal battle continues.