A United States federal appeals court has ordered President Donald Trump's administration to immediately stop construction of the controversial $400 million White House ballroom. The ruling has dealt a major legal setback to the project critics say was launched without congressional approval. The ruling, delivered by the Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, upheld an earlier court injunction preventing further work on the planned ballroom, which is being built on the site previously occupied by the White House's East Wing.

The ruling is on hold for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A federal appeals court panel ruled that Donald Trump must stop aboveground construction on his beloved ballroom.

A federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to stop White House ballroom construction. The court upheld a preliminary injunction against the $400 million project.…