Is it illegal for the president to spend ‘patriotic’ donations on a White House ballroom or anything else?

A federal appeals court left in place an injunction halting construction on Trump's roughly $400 million White House ballroom, rejecting the administration's argument that private donations substitute for congressional authorization. The court found that while the National Park Service can accept donations for preserving structures like the demolished East Wing, building something new requires Congress's explicit approval, which the administration hasn't obtained.

The majority opinion noted a statute barring new structures on federal grounds in Washington without congressional authority, and pointedly observed it knew of no prior instance of a president unilaterally demolishing taxpayer-funded portions of the White House using private money — 'until now.' An underground bunker renovation begun after the East Wing's October demolition was not blocked by the ruling.

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