Trump files emergency appeal to keep building White House ballroom

President Trump filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. appeals court to lift a court-ordered pause on constructing a new White House ballroom. Justice Department lawyers wrote that "time is of the essence", arguing the pause creates security risks for the president and must be lifted. The appeal asks judges to allow construction to continue while underlying legal challenges proceed. The dispute matters because it reframes renovation litigation as an urgent national security concern and could speed completion of controversial White House changes.