A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit put on hold a preliminary injunction issued a day earlier by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, granting the Justice Department’s request for interim relief while the appeal proceeds. The panel scheduled oral arguments for June 5 to determine whether construction should remain paused during the broader legal review.

The appeals court’s brief order did not address the underlying legal merits of the dispute, which centers on whether the executive branch had the authority to demolish the historic East Wing and proceed with new construction without explicit approval from Congress.

The lawsuit was filed in December by the National Trust for Historic Preservation against the Trump administration and several federal agencies. The group argued that the demolition of the East Wing and the planned ballroom project violated federal preservation laws and exceeded the authority of both the president and the National Park Service.

Judge Leon, in his earlier ruling, sided with the plaintiffs’ argument that the project could not proceed lawfully without congressional authorization, prompting the administration to seek immediate relief from the appeals court to avoid construction delays.

The White House has defended the project as a privately funded initiative backed by donors, describing it as part of a broader effort to modernize the presidential residence while enhancing security infrastructure.

Trump has repeatedly framed the ballroom as a signature addition to the White House complex.Neither the National Trust for Historic Preservation nor the White House responded immediately to requests for comment following the appeals court’s decision issued late Friday.

The case highlights tensions between executive authority and statutory protections governing historic federal properties, with potential implications for how future administrations undertake structural changes to nationally significant sites.

Trump announced the move in a social media post, citing a need to end what he called “chaos at the airports,” while lawmakers worked overnight to pass a measure that would fund most DHS operations but exclude immigration enforcement agencies central to the political dispute.

The Senate approved the funding deal unanimously without a roll call vote, sending the measure to the House of Representatives for consideration later on Friday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the agreement would allow much of the government to reopen, though negotiations would continue on unresolved issues.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the delay, saying the agreement could have been reached earlier and reiterating demands for reforms tied to immigration enforcement funding.

The White House had considered invoking emergency powers to pay TSA workers during the shutdown. Instead, Trump’s order will direct payments using funds from a 2025 tax law, according to a senior administration official.

The funding package covers agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard, but leaves out Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, reflecting the core disagreement between Republicans and Democrats over immigration policy.

Travel disruptions mountThe prolonged funding lapse has led to significant operational strain at U.S. airports, with rising absenteeism among TSA staff who have missed paychecks.

Government data showed more than 11% of scheduled TSA workers were absent on Wednesday, with some airports reporting callout rates exceeding 40%.Nearly 500 of the agency’s roughly 50,000 transportation security officers have resigned during the shutdown, exacerbating delays and raising concerns about airport operations nationwide.

Union officials welcomed the move to pay TSA employees but urged Congress to pass a comprehensive funding agreement to stabilize DHS operations and ensure all federal workers are compensated.