The Federal Court of Appeals has allowed the administration of US President Donald Trump to temporarily continue the construction of a planned ballroom at the White House, while obliging a lower court to clarify issues related to national security. This is reported by The Washington Post, writes UNN.
Details
A panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, allowed work to continue until April 17, giving the administration a few extra days before a ban previously imposed by District Judge Richard Leon takes effect. He ruled last month that the project could not proceed without congressional approval, but allowed separate work related to White House security.
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The Trump administration argues that the construction is important for national security because it includes bulletproof glass, bomb shelters, and other protective elements, as well as underground facilities. The Department of Justice said that stopping the work could create risks for the president, his family, and White House staff.
The plaintiff in the case is the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which insists that the large-scale project violates historical preservation standards. The organization also questions the White House's claims that the project is critically important for security and points to inconsistencies in the administration's arguments regarding the connection between above-ground and underground work.
In the decision, the appellate judges noted that it is not yet clear to what extent the construction of the above-ground ballroom is related to the security of the underground facilities, and instructed the lower court to clarify this issue. The White House welcomed the decision, while Judge Neomi Rao, in a separate opinion, stated that the plaintiff has no right to challenge the project, and the president has the authority to make improvements to the residence.
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