Can a president unilaterally reshape America's most famous residence using private funds without congressional approval?

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No—at least for now, the courts have said a president cannot unilaterally make a major above-ground change to the White House, even if private donors pay for it. The central issue is not just who funds the project, but who controls federal property. The White House is a historic federal site, and the D.C. Circuit said Congress has the decisive authority over construction and demolition there under the Constitution’s Property Clause and related statutes. A federal district judge and then a divided appeals court both ruled that the ballroom’s above-ground construction must stop unless Congress authorizes it. The administration argues the president already has broad authority to make “alterations” and “improvements,” and says private financing means no appropriation is needed. It also says the ballroom is tied to an integrated security project, including the underground Presidential Emergency Operations Center and other protective features. That security argument has persuaded courts only in part: judges have allowed underground and safety-related work to continue, but not the visible ballroom itself. History also cuts against unilateral action. Major White House changes, including the Truman reconstruction and earlier wing expansions, were undertaken with congressional approval and public funding. Courts have emphasized that no modern precedent supports a president demolishing part of the White House and replacing it with a large new structure solely on executive say-so. The S…

Trump Accelerates White House Ballroom With 250 Workers as Supreme Court Weighs Challenge

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Trump Accelerates White House Ballroom With 250 Workers as Supreme Court Weighs Challenge

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