Federal appeals court orders Trump to halt White House ballroom construction; Trump vows Supreme Court appeal

President Donald Trump is "seriously crashing out" after a federal appeals court ordered him to stop illegal construction on his White House ballroom.

In a furious screed on Truth Social Friday, Trump announced that he would immediately appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

"The Military and Secret Service are viewing this horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful ruling as a National Security threat to our Nation in that the entire Complex is being built for the protection of our Country and, additionally, all future Presidents," the president wrote.

Trump described his plans to build "one big, expensive, and very complex unit" that includes a state-of-the-art hospital, bomb shelter, and a top-secret military facility—well, not so secret anymore, I'd gather.

The Court's Ruling

In a 2-1 ruling earlier Friday, a D.C. Circuit Court panel determined the Trump administration must seek approval for construction from Congress, which has the "exclusive authority to regulate the construction and demolition of White House structures."

"At this preliminary stage, the National Trust has shown, compellingly, that Congress has not ceded unfettered authority to the Executive Branch to dramatically redesign, reshape, and reconstruct the White House—the People's House—to fit a particular President's desires," the ruling stated.

Dissenting Opinion

Trump-appointed Judge Neomi Rao dissented, agreeing with the administration that the National Trust for Historic Preservation did not have the standing to challenge the construction. The nonprofit's case was centered around Professor Alison Hoagland, a member of the National Trust, who formally claimed that the ballroom was an aesthetic injury to the White House.

Rao argued that the decision would "permit adjudication of any government action that a plaintiff finds unsightly." But by the judge's logic, the Trump administration could make unilateral sweeping changes to any national landmark—even, as the DOJ tried to claim, the Statue of Liberty.

Background and Cost Overruns

For months, Trump has treated the White House—which belongs to all Americans, not just the president—like one of his gaudy resort properties.

Meanwhile, the price tag on Trump's ballroom has exploded:

• Originally claimed to cost $200 million
• Later ballooned to $300 million
• Then $400 million after he decided to tack on extra construction
• In June, a bombshell report revealed that taxpayers would be expected to foot the bill for half of a $600 million total cost

This story has been updated.

Read more about the ballroom:

• Trump Skipped Normal Process to Award $500 Million Ballroom Contract

Trump on Voter Anger: "They're Not Angry at Me"

President Trump correctly identified Americans' mass dissatisfaction with the GOP—but doesn't think that it extends to him.

"The question is will they vote? 'Cause a lot of them are very angry at Republicans, to be honest with you.… They're not angry at me, but they are angry at Republicans," Trump told Punchbowl News in an interview released on Friday.

"I could do a lot easier. I don't have to be away in Nevada yesterday. I didn't have to be in Los Angeles yesterday making speeches. I didn't have to be supporting all the people. I have a lot, you know, I have a busy schedule," he continued. "I said to somebody, 'Wait a minute. You don't understand. I won. I'm not campaigning.'"

The voters are mad at him too. The president's approval rating is just under 40 percent, as nearly 60 percent think that he specifically is doing a bad job of governing. And the issues that people feel most upset by—the war on Iran, inflation, affordability—are directly tied to President Trump, even if he...