Court halts construction on Trump's White House ballroom
A US court has issued a ruling halting construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House, according to a BBC One West report.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A US appeals court has ordered President Trump to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom at the White House, ruling that he does not have the authority to dramatically alter the historic building without Congress's approval. The ballroom is being built on the site of the East Wing, which Mr Trump ordered to be demolished last year. The court said such a massive overhaul should have had the explicit consent of Congress.
Mr Trump responded furiously on social media, calling the ruling horrendous, politically motivated and unlawful, and said he would appeal to the Supreme Court. He has two weeks to continue building while the appeal is prepared. Work on an underground military bunker beneath the ballroom is allowed to continue, as it is deemed essential for national security.
The ballroom has become something of an obsession for the president. He carries pictures of how he wants it to look on Air Force One. After a gunman caused him to be evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April, he argued that showed the need for a secure ballroom, with drone-proof and bulletproof glass. He said the military and Secret Service were demanding it.
The project has been unpopular with the public, who question the spending during a war in Iran and rising prices. There is also mystery over funding. Mr Trump has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from private donors but has not disclosed how much they gave or what he may have promised in return.
If the Supreme Court appeal fails, he could ask Congress to vote to give him the authority to finish the ballroom, but it is far from certain he would win that vote. The court's decision came after a lawsuit sparked by the sudden demolition of the East Wing. The refurbishment of Washington's reflecting pool has also been a flop, adding to the president's renovation troubles.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|
| A US appeals court halted construction on Trump's $400 million ballroom, ruling he lacks authority to demolish the East Wing without Congress approval. | ||
| Trump said he would appeal the ballroom ruling to the Supreme Court. | ||
| A broadcast reported that Trump behaves like a property developer. | · | |
| The ballroom project is unpopular with the public due to costs during the war in Iran and rising prices. | · | |
| Trump carries pictures of the ballroom on Air Force One. | · | |
| Trump is allowed to continue building for two weeks and can continue the underground military bunker. | · | |
| Trump raised hundreds of millions from private donors without disclosing amounts or promises made. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel focused on the court ruling and its immediate consequences, including the two-week window and the bunker. It also highlighted public opposition to the spending, linking it to the war in Iran and rising prices. The tone was neutral but noted the political uncertainty of a congressional vote.
- “The appeals court clearly doesn't agree. No, they certainly don't.”
- “But for the ballroom itself is pretty unpopular with the public who wonder why he's spending so much money on this at a time when there's a war in Iran and rising prices.”
This channel provided a more detailed portrait of Trump's behaviour, describing him as a property developer and obsessed with the ballroom. It also delved into the funding mystery and the reflecting pool flop, giving a broader context of his renovation troubles. The tone was more analytical and critical.
- “Donald Trump still essentially thinks and behaves like the property developer he used to be.”
- “The ballroom has become something of an obsession for President Trump.”
- “There is some mystery about what's going on behind the scenes with the funding for this project.”
This channel led with Trump's furious response, emphasising the political bias claim and the composition of the court. It framed the ruling as a political battle, and highlighted the need for congressional consent. The tone was more focused on the political conflict.
- “President Trump has given a furious response to a US appeals court ruling ordering him to stop the construction of a $400 million dollar ballroom at the White House.”
- “Mr. Trump said the ruling, taken by two Democrat appointed judges on the three-member court, was politically biased and a national disgrace.”
- “The court said such a massive overhaul should have had the explicit consent of Congress.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.