Donald Trump says court ruling said each president is "a temporary tenant" of the White House

A divided federal appeals court has halted construction of the planned $400 million ballroom and military complex at the White House, ruling that Congress never authorized the project and that the president cannot unilaterally replace the East Wing. In a Truth Social post, President Trump blamed two judges appointed by Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and disputed the court's reasoning about presidential authority over the building. He argued that presidents, as elected officials, may renovate and secure the White House without congressional approval, and called the ruling a national-security threat. The project, including a rooftop drone port, was already under construction; Trump had posted an aerial photo saying it remained on budget and ahead of schedule.