Federal court orders halt to White House ballroom construction project

A federal appeals court has told the Trump administration to stop building a ballroom at the White House. The court ruled on Friday that the project needs approval from Congress first. The ballroom would cost $400 million and was already rising above ground on the east side of the White House. The court voted 2-1 to uphold an earlier order to halt the work. Underground construction for security facilities can continue. The ruling is paused for 14 days so the administration can appeal to the Supreme Court. The judges said each president is a temporary resident of the White House, not its owner. Trump says the ballroom is needed for official visits and national security.