Trump's White House ballroom heads to appeals court battle

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has agreed to allow construction to continue until it rules on whether the project can formally proceed. That decision will determine next steps for the project, which President Trump has been pressing for weeks.

The legal battle has unfolded in the aftermath of shootings at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner and one just outside the White House. The Justice Department has described both as attempts on Trump's life, telling judges the incidents heighten the need for the ballroom, which Trump has described as having military-grade security.

"The Ballroom is on time, under budget, and free to the American taxpayer, while benefiting future Presidents by serving as a 'safe haven' from attackers such as the two recent would-be assassins," the Justice Department wrote in court filings last weekend.

The hearing also comes as the project faces congressional pushback. Six GOP senators voted with Democrats on Thursday in support of a proposal that would explicitly block the project.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-white-house-ballroom-heads-100000554.html