Appeals Court Allows White House East Wing Project to Proceed
A US appeals court has temporarily allowed construction work on the White House East Wing to continue, overturning a lower court ruling that had halted the project. A three-judge panel issued a stay and scheduled a hearing for 5 June to decide whether construction should remain paused during the appeals process. The court has not yet ruled on the substance of the case.
Federal Judge Richard Leon had ruled a day earlier that the project was unlawful without approval from Congress. The lawsuit was filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argues that the president and federal authorities lack the power to demolish part of the historic White House complex.
Donald Trump has promoted the project as a major upgrade to the presidential residence and part of a wider transformation of Washington. The administration maintains that the redevelopment will improve infrastructure and security and is financed entirely through private funding.