Trump cites national security in appeal to keep building White House ballroom “Time is of the essence!” Justice Department lawyers wrote, saying a ruling to pause construction puts the president at risk.

A federal judge on Tuesday halted the ballroom, saying Trump needed congressional authorization for the project.

And — BREAKING — the three-judge panel set to hear Trump's appeal includes an Obama appointee, a Biden appointee and a Trump appointee.

More here with @jonathanreports.bsky.social

INTRODUCTION For decades, Congress has vested the President with overlapping statutory authorities that allow the President to make the improvements he deems necessary to White House grounds and structures. Yet, a district judge ordered the President to halt ongoing reconstruction of the East Wing of the White House by April 14, leaving a massive excavation and structurally completed site adjacent to the now open and exposed Executive Mansion and threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the President and his family, and the President's staff. Almost 400 Million Dollars of private donations and contributions (No taxpayer dollars are being used to build this long sought, and desperately needed, ballroom!) have already been committed, or spent, in the purchase of heavy, large scale, and other types of building materials. As an example, the protective missile resistant steel columns, beams, drone proof roofing materials, and bullet, ballistic, and blast proof glass, are largely made, being used, and/or on their way to the project. Likewise, the bomb shelters, hospital and medical area, protective partitioning, and Top Secret Military installations, structures, and equipment, are built and/or ready to be built, installed, and placed.

Trump has filed an emergency appeal to keep building his planned White House ballroom, saying it's a matter of national security.

The motion — particularly the first five pages — is unusually written for an appellate brief, and often resembles Trump's Truth Social posts.

Congress is in no rush to authorize Trump’s ballroom after judge’s ruling The president doesn’t appear interested in seeking lawmakers’ approval for his $400 million project — and they’re not inclined to give it.

A federal judge halted Trump’s ballroom construction until he gets congressional authorization.

But Trump isn’t inclined to seek Congress’s OK — and they don’t appear inclined to give it.

with @jonathanreports.bsky.social @theodoricmeyer.bsky.social @mariannasotomayor.bsky.social

Thrilled to join the great @tradeoffs.org podcast and talk about my recent WaPo profile of CHRIS KLOMP, the fast-rising official now running HHS operations.

Thanks to @dgorenstein.bsky.social @ryan-levi.bsky.social for having me.

Great news for America, and our wonderful White House! The Judge on the case of what will be the most beautiful Ballroom anywhere in the World, has just thrown out, and completely erased, the effort to stop its construction. As everyone knows, not one dollar of Taxpayer money is being spent, but rather, all money necessary to build this magnificent building is being put up by Patriot Donors and Contributors. The Ballroom construction, which is anticipated to also handle future Inaugurations and large State Visits, is ahead of schedule, and under budget. It will stand long into the future as a symbol to the Greatness of America! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon a month ago had thrown out an earlier ballroom challenge on procedural grounds.

But it was clear then that Leon was skeptical and the Trump admin was facing defeat.

Here's what Trump wrote at the time, mischaracterizing that ruling.

Judge halts construction on Trump’s White House ballroom The planned $400 million project has been a priority for the president.

Breaking: federal judge orders a HALT to President Trump’s planned White House ballroom

Judge Leon: “The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!”

With @jonathanreports.bsky.social

I asked ChatGPT for guidance on a difficult personal matter* and this is what it gave me.

* my toddler sometimes pretends he’s a robot

Speaker Johnson 9:27 AM > [CLASSIFIED] Internal directive from GO... View in browser A Special Message from

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON 5 FOR AUTHORIZED EYES ONLY Friend, What you're about to read is the most important memo we've ever authorized. I've just issued a confidential directive to prepare for the battle ahead - to defend the House, hold the Senate majority, and protect President Trump's second term. We are entering a defining moment. And I can't do this without your input If you've ever believed in our cause - please open this memo right now. Your response will be submitted to my team. But once this survey closes, the window is gone. READ NOW

Inbox: a classified email from Speaker Johnson??

(It’s a fundraising email.)

Trump unveils renderings of planned presidential library tower The president and his son Eric shared images of a towering skyscraper that would be located in downtown Miami.

The 100-second video, posted by Trump, also depicts a skyscraper that appears to be about 50 stories tall. That would tower over other presidential libraries. (Obama’s is 225 feet.)

Politico reported in December that Trump's allies were eying a 47-story skyscraper in honor of the 47th president.

Trump tonight shared the first renderings of his planned presidential library in Miami — a skyscraper that would be filled with memorabilia from his presidency, recreations of the White House, and at least two gold Trump statues.

Trump shows off new ballroom designs as he defends $400 million project The planned White House addition, a top priority of the president, is facing a key vote this week. A federal judge may also rule to halt the project.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump began with an update about Iran but soon pivoted to a different priority: his planned $400 million White House ballroom.

“A lot of people are giving it really good reviews,” the president said.

Polls have found most Americans oppose the project.

Trump’s first surgeon general tries to stop nominee from becoming his second Jerome Adams, who served at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, says Casey Means is unqualified to hold the job. Means’s nomination is stalled in the Senate.

Trump’s first surgeon general tries to stop nominee from becoming his second.

Jerome Adams says his disagreements with Casey Means are “operational, not personal.”

“The irony would be the nation’s doctor wouldn’t even be in the corps as a doctor,” Adams told @washingtonpost.com.

(Gift link)

"However, because of rules around temporary positions, [Bhattacharya] will no longer officially hold the title of acting director."

www.cdc.gov/about/leader...

White House delays CDC pick as officials search for permanent director The responsibilities of leading the agency will remain with Jay Bhattacharya, the head of the National Institutes of Health, who has been serving as acting CDC director since last month

The White House is delaying its pick of a new CDC director as they continue to interview candidates.

Jay Bhattacharya will continue to oversee the agency on an interim basis.

@lenasun.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social with a little help from me

We reported last month about Trump’s plans to put a Columbus statue at the White House.

He’s also overseeing efforts to install many more statues around DC — including of other controversial figures, too.

Trump installs Christopher Columbus statue on White House grounds The president has condemned efforts to take down statues of Columbus and other historical figures, saying the removals are an “assault on our collective national memory.”

Trump has now installed a Christopher Columbus statue on the White House’s grounds.

It’s his latest move to honor the explorer, framing it as a political act.

“You Italians are going to love me,” Trump said last year.

w @oliviacgeorge.bsky.social

Trump orders TV networks to protect Army-Navy football game The president wants to grant an exclusive broadcast window for the game, which faces scheduling pressure.

Trump signs order intended to protect the Army-Navy football game's exclusive TV window.

“We’ll probably get sued at some point,” Trump said. He also mused about having “much more power” in his second term to pursue such changes.

w @emilydavies.bsky.social

Members of the Commission of Fine Arts - composed entirely of Trump appointees, including a 26-year-old executive assistant whose only listed credential for the post was managing Trump's portrait project - spent several minutes discussing potential changes to the coin, including how big to make it, before officially endorsing it. "I think the larger the better, and the largest of that circulation, I think, would be his preference," said Chamberlain Harris, Trump's executive assistant. Harris also said that the image captured Trump looking "very strong and very tough" and that it would be "fitting" to have him on a coin to mark the nation's 250th anniversary. James McCrery II, who served as Trump's first architect on his planned ballroom before wrangling with the president over its size, encouraged Treasury officials to make the coin "as large as possible, all the way to three inches in diameter" as he led the vote to approve it.

The arts panel just voted to approve the Trump-themed gold coin, encouraging Treasury officials to make it as big as possible.

"The larger the better," said Trump's 26-year-old executive assistant, who the president put on a panel intended for fine-arts experts.

Trump’s face on a gold coin? His hand-picked panel will decide. The proposal has already been resisted by members of a separate federal coin committee — and panned by former member Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Trump’s handpicked arts panel today may vote to put his face on a U.S. gold coin.

A separate, bipartisan panel already rejected the idea, saying it was anti-Democratic and even illegal.

“Monarchs and dictators put their faces on coins, not leaders of a democracy,” @merkley.senate.gov told WaPo.

Judge questions Trump aides’ ‘brazen’ claims on White House ballroom The planned $400 million project has been a top priority for the president. Judge Richard Leon said he hopes to rule this month on whether to halt construction.

DOJ officials urged the judge not to halt Trump’s project and leave an unfinished hole in the ground.

Tad Heuer, a lawyer for @savingplaces.bsky.social, countered that Trump officials had forgotten the “proverbial first law of holes… when you find yourself in one, stop digging.” (The judge laughed)

Judge Richard Leon, who's weighing whether to halt Trump's ballroom construction, grilled DOJ again today on its "shifting" arguments defending the project.

He said the White House was trying an "end-run" around Congress + said he hopes to rule this month.

Story coming soon.

with condolences to his family, “star” is doing a lot of work here

Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff, has breast cancer, Trump says The president announced the White House chief of staff’s diagnosis Monday, saying she has a good prognosis and will continue to work while receiving treatment.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with breast cancer, Trump announces.

Her prognosis is good and she will continue to work, Trump says.

Meet the Horrified Grandparents Fighting for Vaccines They remember what diseases like measles are really like—and want the rest of America to know before it’s too late.

Yes, please listen to grandparents- they know exactly how bad things were before vaccines

www.thebulwark.com/p/meet-the-h...

This would be a case of Trump's design choices for the ballroom metastasizing to the White House proper.

Plans for the ballroom call for Corinthian columns, not the Ionic columns that have stood for 200 years on the North and South Porticos.

Appointee wants to replace White House columns with the ones Trump prefers The head of a federal arts commission is proposing the more ornate Corinthian style for the nearly 200-year-old columns at the building’s front entrance

For nearly 200 years, these iconic — and Ionic — columns have welcomed visitors to the White House.

Trump has privately mused about changing them to his preferred style, and now his top arts commissioner has proposed a plan to do exactly that.

With @asteckelberg.bsky.social.

THE EPOCH TIMES A RIVETING DISCUSSION ON HUMANITY AN EVENING WITH JANJEKIELEK AND ROB SCHNEIDER Insights from Jekielek's new book Killed to Order KILLED TORPER MON. MARCH 16 2026 6pm TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER RSVP TODAY!

Trump last year, after taking over the Kennedy Center: "We're going to get the best talent in the world."

The talent:

Trump is counting on his ‘favorite Mormon’ to deliver health care wins Chris Klomp, a political unknown a year ago, is now steering the $2.6 trillion health department. Several controversial appointees have since left.

Here’s our profile of Klomp, who won Trump’s affection for his drug-price work — and who is now expected to deliver more health-care wins.

Susie Wiles told Klomp she wants him to stabilize HHS, people told me.

Several controversial figures like Vinay Prasad are now exiting the agency.

President Donald Trump with, from left, Heidi Overton, David Moore, Mike Doustdar, David Ricks, Chris Klomp, Mehmet Oz and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last year. (Evan Vucci/AP) Klomp won Trump's favor last year after he helped lead the government's negotiations with drug companies to cut their prices, prompting the president to call him his "favorite Mormon," or even "the killer Mormon," according to three people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the president's personal nicknames. Trump was particularly impressed by Klomp's public remarks at an Oval Office event to announce Pfizer's price cuts, the people said, encouraging his deputies to lean on Klomp more. 'Where's my Mormon?'" Trump asked in one meeting last year as he searched for Klomp, according to one person who attended. Klomp is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Where's my Mormon?" Trump asked in a meeting last year.

He was looking for Chris Klomp — who has risen from political unknown a year ago to the guy running HHS day-to-day operations now.

Democrats ask what happened to millions earmarked for Trump’s library ABC, Meta, Paramount and X reportedly agreed to pay at least $63 million in settlements with the president. The original fund was dissolved last year.

After Trump won the 2024 election, companies like Paramount and X settled lawsuits with him and pledged millions of $$ for his library.

Now Democrats @warren.senate.gov @blumenthal.senate.gov @repstansbury.bsky.social are asking what happened to the money.

More with @aaronschaffer.com →