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Appeals court says federal judge must reconsider blocking WH ballroom, weigh national security concerns
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President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom construction will be able to continue for at least a little while longer, after an federal appeals court instructed a District Court judge to reconsider the situation.
A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Saturday that construction can proceed until Friday, April 17, giving the president time to seek a Supreme Court review as the Trump administration is claiming delaying the prospect leaves the construction site exposed and risks the security of the president and his staff.
The panel instructed U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to clarify whether — and how — his injunction interferes with the administration’s claims over safety and security.
Government lawyers argued that the project includes critical security features to guard against a range of possible threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards and that holding up construction «would imperil the president and others who live and work in the White House.»
DEMS MOVE TO SET LIMITS ON TRUMP’S DONOR-FUNDED WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, CLAIMING ‘BRIBERY IN PLAIN SIGHT’
President Donald Trump holds a rendering of the White House ballroom in an Air Force One media scrum. (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
Trump had also made the case that the U.S. military was installing a «heavily fortified» facility under the ballroom, including bomb shelters and a medical facility.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) sued in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing for a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom.
The group claimed Trump exceeded his authority when he demolished the dated East Wing — built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency and expanded in 1942 — arguing the president needed congressional authorization.
TRUMP SAYS IT ‘IS TOO LATE’ TO STOP THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION AMID LAWSUIT
A rendering of the proposed White House ballroom shared by President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Feb. 3, 2026. (Copyright Donald Trump/Truth Social)
Trump has said the president has historically had say over the White House remodeling, and has long noted Congress does not have to pay for the privately funded project.
A lower court had issued a March 31 injunction to halt ballroom construction, but it also paused that injunction to allow for an appeal.
The White House has argued that the injunction left the White House «open and exposed,» threatening security for the building, the president and his family and staff.
TRUMP UNVEILS NEW RENDERING OF SPRAWLING WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM PROJECT
A McCrery Architects rendering provided by the White House of the new ballroom. (McCrery Architects/White House)
NTHP CEO Carol Quillen said in a statement that the organization awaited further clarification from the district court.
She said the group was committed «to honoring the historic significance of the White House, advocating for our collective role as stewards, and demonstrating how broad consultation, including with the American people, results in a better overall outcome.»
Judge Leon exempted any construction work necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House, but said he reviewed material the government privately submitted before determining that a halt would not jeopardize national security.
«We cannot fairly determine, on this hurried record, whether and to what extent the district court’s ‘necessary for safety and security’ exception addresses Defendants’ claims of irreparable harm, insofar as it may accommodate the Defendants’ asserted safety and security need for the ballroom itself or other temporary measures to secure the safety and security of the White House, the President, staff, and visitors while this appeal proceeds,» the D.C. Circuit said in its ruling.
WARREN-LED INQUIRY DRAWS NEW DETAILS ON TRUMP BALLROOM DONATIONS FROM MAJOR CORPORATIONS
A McCrery Architects rendering provided by the White House of the new ballroom. (White House)
The appeals panel noted that much of the government’s concerns focused on that below-ground security work, which the White House argued was «distinct from construction of the ballroom itself and could proceed independently.»
The White House is making the case now that those security upgrades are «inseparable» from the project as a whole, the appeals court said, making it unclear «whether and to what extent» moving forward with certain aspects of the ballroom is necessary for the safety and security of those upgrades.
TRUMP PUSHES BACK AFTER MICHELLE OBAMA KNOCKS EAST WING RENOVATION, CALLING OLD ARRANGEMENT ‘A DISASTER’
Although Trump’s project is funded by private donations, public money is paying for construction of underground bunkers and security upgrades.
The three-judge appeals court panel was made up of Judges Patricia Millett, Neomi Rao and Bradley Garcia. Millett was nominated by former President Barack Obama, Rao by Trump and Garcia by President Joe Biden.
Rao wrote a dissenting opinion, which cited a statute that allows the president to undertake improvements to the White House.
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«Importantly, the government has presented credible evidence of ongoing security vulnerabilities at the White House that would be prolonged by halting construction,» Rao wrote, adding that such concerns outweigh the «generalized aesthetic harms» presented in the lawsuit.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
administration, national security, congress, white house, appeals
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Hasan Piker celebrates America being ‘closer than ever’ to socialism as he backs NYC candidates
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Controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker threw his support behind two far-left candidates running for Congress in New York City, arguing their victories would help push the country closer to socialism.
«For the longest time, I thought we were so far away from socialism, and we might still be far away from socialism, but we do have an opportunity right here right now, more than ever before,» Piker said Thursday at a Brooklyn rally for candidates endorsed by the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America ahead of the state’s June 23 primary.
Leading the DSA-backed slate are State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, D-N.Y., and activist Darializa Avila Chevalier, whom Piker praised as «giants» of the socialist movement.
«We must seize that opportunity, and you all must continue your own disciplined organizing for that to happen,» Piker told the crowd. «That is the challenge.»
NYPD officers arrest New York City Council member Tiffany Caban and New York Assembly member Claire Valdez (right) along with protesters after they refused to leave the lobby of Sen. Chuck Schumer’s office in Manhattan on Aug. 1, 2025. (Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service)
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MAMDANI ALLY MOUNTS BID FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Both candidates are socialists who want to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raise taxes on the wealthy and advance the Palestinian cause in Congress. If they win their contested primaries for deep-blue districts, they would almost certainly pad the ranks of the Democratic caucus’ far-left flank.
«I’ve rarely ever seen such tremendous ideological representation at such an important level,» Piker said, referring to Valdez and Avila Chevalier. «I mean, a congressional seat is a tremendous amount of power.»
«What an honor it is to be joined by Darializa on stage,» Valdez jokingly said, referring to a cardboard cutout of Avila Chevalier. «[It’s the] honor of my life to be on a slate with her, with so many of my other socialist comrades.»
Valdez is running for a seat vacated by retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., that spans progressive bastions in Queens and Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, Avila Chevalier is running as a formidable leftist challenger to Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., the chairman of the influential Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in a district covering Upper Manhattan and the West Bronx.
The leftist duo is backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Justice Democrats, the progressive group that helped launch New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s insurgent House campaign in 2018.
Controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker threw his support behind House candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, arguing their election to Congress would help advance socialist policies. (Hasan Piker Twitch/@HASANABI)
MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS
Avila Chevalier has sparked controversy over since-deleted social media posts in which she asserted «Israel doesn’t exist,» voiced literal support for open borders and claimed «all deportation is wrong,» CNN first reported.
The Mamdani ally has also faced scrutiny over calling former President Joe Biden «a rapist» and writing «F— Kamala Harris» in 2021 after the former vice president told Guatemalan nationals not to illegally cross the border.
Piker predicted a wave of socialist victories in New York City would soon eclipse the significance of Mamdani’s mayoral win last year.
«By the end of these midterms, Zohran will seem unremarkable. Because by then, we will have elected so many brilliant fighters into legislative offices throughout New York City and the state,» Piker said, referring to the slate of socialist candidates.
«These are your comrades, these are your fighters,» he continued.
Thursday’s rally comes as Piker, who has sparked widespread backlash over comments saying, «America deserved 9/11,» and Hamas is «a thousand times better» than Israel, has interviewed and campaigned with proudly socialist candidates across the country.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is seeking to flex his political muscle by sending Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier to Congress. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)
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Several Piker allies have lost their primaries, including former Ocasio-Cortez chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti, who launched a failed bid to succeed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. However, the socialist streamer did score one notable victory with progressive surgeon Adam Hamawy’s primary victory for a Democratic-heavy New Jersey House seat.
Fox News Digital reached out to spokespersons for Valdez and Avila Chevalier for comment.
Fox News’ Matthew Donnell contributed to this report.
politics, democrats elections, congress, primary results, zohran mamdani, socialism
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La economía panameña acelera el paso y el IMAE registra en abril su mejor resultado de 2026
La economía panameña aceleró su ritmo de crecimiento en abril y registró su mejor desempeño en lo que va de 2026, según los datos más recientes del Índice Mensual de Actividad Económica (IMAE), un indicador considerado como el principal termómetro de la evolución económica del país.
El Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo (INEC) informó que el IMAE creció 5.96% en abril de 2026 respecto al mismo mes del año anterior, una cifra superior al 4.25% reportado en marzo y también por encima del 4.15% registrado en abril de 2025.
El resultado permitió que el crecimiento acumulado de la economía durante los primeros cuatro meses del año alcanzara 4.81%.
Aunque el Producto Interno Bruto (PIB) es el indicador más conocido para medir la actividad económica, su cálculo suele publicarse con varios meses de retraso.
Por esa razón, economistas, inversionistas y autoridades utilizan el IMAE como una especie de “radiografía mensual” de la economía, ya que permite identificar con mayor rapidez si la actividad productiva está creciendo, desacelerándose o entrando en una fase de contracción.
Los resultados de abril muestran una economía más dinámica que la observada durante el primer trimestre.
En enero el IMAE creció 4.13%; en febrero 4.15%; en marzo 5.06%; y en abril alcanzó 5.96%, consolidando una tendencia ascendente durante los primeros meses del año.
Uno de los principales motores del crecimiento continúa siendo el sector comercial.
El INEC destacó el buen desempeño tanto del comercio minorista como del mayorista, impulsado por las reexportaciones desde la Zona Libre de Colón, la venta de automóviles nuevos y el consumo de gasolina de 91 octanos.
El transporte también mantuvo un papel determinante.
Los ingresos por peajes del Canal de Panamá, las toneladas netas movilizadas por los buques que transitan la vía interoceánica, el transporte aéreo y el movimiento de contenedores en los puertos contribuyeron al crecimiento del sector.
La actividad financiera volvió a figurar entre los sectores con mejor comportamiento.
El aumento de los depósitos externos, la expansión de la cartera crediticia y el crecimiento de las primas de seguros reforzaron el desempeño de la banca y los servicios financieros. Entre los ramos que mostraron mayores avances destacaron salud, automóviles, vida individual, accidentes personales y seguros colectivos de vida.
Una de las diferencias más importantes respecto a marzo fue la recuperación de la construcción.
Mientras en marzo el sector figuró entre las actividades con desempeño desfavorable debido a la caída en los permisos de construcción y a una menor inversión pública en obras de ingeniería civil, en abril volvió a terreno positivo gracias al aumento en el valor de las edificaciones, adiciones y reparaciones registradas mediante los permisos otorgados.
La industria manufacturera también mantuvo una tendencia favorable. El procesamiento de carne de pollo, el sacrificio de ganado vacuno y porcino y la elaboración de derivados del tomate contribuyeron al crecimiento industrial. Sin embargo, a diferencia de marzo, cuando las bebidas gaseosas y alcohólicas ayudaron al desempeño del sector, en abril estos productos pasaron a mostrar resultados negativos.
El sector agropecuario continuó aportando al crecimiento económico.La cría de aves de corral y de ganado porcino volvió a sobresalir, acompañada por el cultivo de tomate y la producción de frutas destinadas a la exportación. En marzo destacaban la piña, la sandía y el melón; mientras que en abril el banano apareció entre los cultivos con mejor comportamiento.
El turismo siguió siendo otro de los pilares del crecimiento. Los hoteles y restaurantes mantuvieron una trayectoria ascendente gracias al incremento en la llegada de visitantes internacionales, que impulsó la ocupación hotelera y el consumo en establecimientos de alimentos y bebidas.
También destacaron los servicios de entretenimiento y juegos de azar, impulsados por las máquinas tragamonedas tipo A, las apuestas por internet y las mesas de juego.
La electricidad y el agua mostraron igualmente resultados positivos, apoyados por una mayor generación hidráulica y un incremento en el consumo energético de hogares, comercios e industrias.
No todas las actividades evolucionaron en la misma dirección.
Entre los sectores con resultados negativos en abril figuraron el cultivo de piña, la captura y exportación de pescado y filete de pescado, la generación de energía térmica, la venta de gasolina de 95 octanos, la producción de bebidas gaseosas y alcohólicas y varias líneas de producción láctea, incluyendo leche evaporada, condensada, en polvo y pasteurizada.
Las cifras reflejan una economía que mantiene una expansión relativamente sólida en comparación con los últimos años.
El crecimiento acumulado de 4.81% al cierre de abril supera el 4.14% reportado al primer trimestre y también mejora la tendencia observada durante buena parte de 2025.
Para Panamá, donde sectores como el Canal, la logística, el comercio y los servicios financieros siguen siendo fundamentales, el comportamiento del IMAE ofrece una señal temprana de que la actividad económica continúa avanzando, aunque con diferencias importantes entre los distintos sectores productivos.
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EXCLUSIVE: Collins pits record built in Maine potato fields against Platner’s ‘angry rhetoric’
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EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, learned hard work in the dirt.
When she was 10 years old, like several other children in Caribou, Maine, she left school to pick potato fields to aid farmers with the harvest deep in potato country in Aroostook County, dubbed «The County» by locals.
«I remember my mother saying to me when I was going to pick for the first time at age 10, saying, ‘Now, Susan, this is really hard, back-breaking work, but you cannot quit. The farmers are depending on you, and you can’t let them down,’» Collins told Fox News Digital. «And those words have always stayed with me.»
SCHUMER’S ‘NUMBER ONE TARGET’ SAYS VOTERS WILL SEE HER DEMOCRAT SENATE CHALLENGER AS TOO EXTREME
Sen. Susan Collins blasts Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner’s mocking of a U.S. wounded soldier as the two are headed toward a likely November showdown as old Reddit posts continue to resurface from Platner. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images; Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
It’s that work ethic born in her hometown of Caribou, molded by her parents’ separate stints as mayor of the small town in the county that helped shape her into the political titan she is today, propelling her to a record 10,000th straight vote in the Senate and a gavel atop the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.
It’s also caused her to have the biggest target on her back in a highly contentious election cycle where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is once again trying to flip her seat.
Collins’ race has also become the most-watched and controversial of the cycle because of her unlikely opponent, Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who over the last several months has been rocked by scandal after scandal.
Speaking to Fox News Digital on the drive between Bangor, Maine and Portland, one she’s made several times since joining the Senate in 1997, Collins acknowledged Platner’s rocky past and present but that she still was taking him seriously as an opponent.
MAINE DEMOCRATS DECIDE FATE OF SENATE CANDIDATE DOGGED BY EXPLOSIVE ALLEGATIONS
«I am surprised that [Gov. Janet Mills] is not my opponent,» Collins said. «That’s what I would have predicted, particularly given the very serious allegations against Graham Platner. Plus, his own words over many years, including recently. So, I think that he has a lot of questions to answer, but I do take him very seriously as a candidate.»
Platner has been no stranger when it comes to attacking Collins in his insurgent campaign, skewering her for her vote to authorize the Iraq War two decades ago or her backing of parts of President Donald Trump’s agenda.
During his acceptance speech earlier this week, he accused her of being «just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves.»
Collins, who is no stranger to heated campaigns, argued that her ability to produce results was a better metric for Mainers.
«I think when people look at the accomplishments and results that I’ve delivered for the people of Maine, that the contrast is enormous,» Collins said. «And angry rhetoric does not produce results.»
She knows how to bring the bacon home to Maine. In her climb to the top of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she’s sent back $1.5 billion over five years, dozens of new or renovated fire stations, billions in rural healthcare funding and a fire boat that saved key businesses along Portland’s waterfront when a blaze broke out.
Still, she’s in a tight race with Platner, despite the scandals and baggage.
And Schumer, who has spent years trying to beat her, hopes to seize the opportunity in this cycle, even with a candidate who was not his first choice.
WATCH: CHUCK SCHUMER SIDESTEPS PLATNER SCANDALS, CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR CONTROVERSIAL DEM
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference following a weekly policy luncheon with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on June 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Schumer told Semafor that Collins is «weaker than in 2020,» when they last squared off, arguing that her defense of Trump, her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the role that vote played in overturning Roe v. Wade have weighed her down.
«To me, this is déjà vu all over again,» Collins said, noting that six years ago, Schumer and Democrats spent over $160 million to defeat her.
Collins contended, «Democratic leaders always distort my record,» and added that when she voted to advance Trump’s «big, beautiful bill» last year, it was so she and others could modify the bill. She ultimately voted against the final product but scored a $50 billion rural hospital fund nonetheless.
«If we can’t get on the bill, I can’t help fix that,» Collins said.
And on Kavanaugh, Collins noted that she disagreed with how he voted on Roe v. Wade, but that she also voted «for people who voted on the other side of that decision.»
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«I voted for Sonia Sotomayor. I voted for Elena Kagan. I voted for Justice Jackson,» Collins said. «And that always seems to get left out.»
She doesn’t vote in lockstep with Trump, either, who recently said that Collins was «not my best friend at all,» but was a «sane woman.» That prompted a laugh from the longtime lawmaker, who noted, «I’ve worked with five different presidents, and I have never agreed with a single one of them on every issue.»
«I know that there’s some people who want me to oppose President Trump, just because he’s President Trump, and that’s not how I operate,» Collins said. «I look at each individual issue and then make my decision. And based on whether it’s helpful to the state of Maine, and improves the lives of families in the state of Maine.»
midterm elections, chuck schumer, graham platner, campaigning, senate elections, maine
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