US Supreme Court lets Trump continue White House ballroom construction for now

The US Supreme Court has temporarily allowed Donald Trump's White House ballroom project to continue. The stay keeps work going while judges weigh whether Congress must approve the overhaul.The ballroom project – one of the most ambitious undertakings at the White House in over a century – has continued to grow in scope, with its privately-funded budget doubling from $200 to $400 million. (Credits: White House)The US Supreme Court on Friday temporarily cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to continue construction of his controversial $400 million White House ballroom project, putting on hold a lower court order that would have halted much of the work.The court issued what is known as an administrative stay, giving the justices more time to consider the administration's request to allow construction to continue while a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation moves forward. Chief Justice John Roberts, who handles emergency matters arising from Washington, DC, issued the stay.The decision does not resolve the underlying legal dispute or amount to a final ruling on whether the administration has the authority to build the ballroom.The Justice Department had argued that the project is essential to national security, pointing to assassination attempts against Trump and other recent threats. "This case involves an extraordinary and unlawful injunction that will halt the ongoing construction of the integrated military complex, including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House, which is vitally required by national security," Justice Department lawyers wrote in a filing to the Supreme Court on August 14.Trump welcomed Friday's decision. "We are grateful for the Decision of the United States Supreme Court," he wrote in a social media post. "The Military/Ballroom Complex being built on the hallowed grounds of the White House, which is so vital for National Security, will be THE GREATEST OF ITS KIND!"WHY IS TRUMP'S BALLROOM PROJECT IN COURT?The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued the administration after the East Wing of the White House was demolished and work began on a planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom without specific approval from Congress.The project combines the above-ground ballroom with a major underground complex. Trump has said the facility will include bomb shelters, medical facilities and protection against drones and missiles, along with other security measures that he described as "all tied together as one big, expensive and very complex unit."The Justice Department said the overall East Wing project, including both the underground facilities and the ballroom, is now 65% complete.On August 7, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in a 2-1 ruling, upheld US District Judge Richard Leon's order directing the administration to stop above-ground construction. That order was due to take effect on Friday before the Supreme Court's intervention.The appeals court said: "Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House," and cannot fundamentally reshape the building without congressional approval.The district judge's order did not permanently prohibit construction. It allowed underground work to continue, along with work deemed "strictly necessary" for the safety and security of the White House.The appeals court also rejected the idea that national security claims could automatically override legal requirements, saying such arguments "are not an automatic get-out-of-law-free card."TRUMP CALLED RULING 'HORRENDOUS'Trump has repeatedly described the ballroom as a security necessity and has called the structure a "military center."After the appeals court ruling, Trump called the decision "horrendous" and politically motivated, arguing that it left him, White House officials and visitors vulnerable to attack."This unjust decision must be overturned by the Supreme Court in its entirety," Trump wrote.The National Trust for Historic Preservation has urged the Supreme Court to reject the administration's request to continue construction while the legal battle proceeds.After Friday's Supreme Court action, a spokesperson for the group said: "To be clear, this is not a final decision on the merits of the government's stay application, and we await further action."In court papers, lawyers for the preservation group argued that the administration has no legal authority to undertake the project without congressional approval."Each court to examine the question has agreed that (the Trump administration has) no unilateral legal authority — constitutional, statutory or otherwise — to build a massive ballroom on the site of the now-demolished East Wing," they wrote.The group added: "And each court has told (the administration) in no uncertain terms that they must stop their illegal construction unless and until they receive express approval from Congress."PART OF TRUMP'S BROADER WHITE HOUSE MAKEOVERThe ballroom project is part of Trump's broader effort to reshape Washington's landscape. His plans also include a 250-foot arch and changes to the Kennedy Center, a major cultural and performing arts institution.The demolished East Wing had housed the first lady's offices and the White House movie theatre. It was originally built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency and substantially expanded in 1942 during Franklin D Roosevelt's presidency.For now, the Supreme Court's administrative stay allows the Trump administration to keep working on the project while the justices consider the government's request. The broader legal battle over whether the president can proceed without congressional approval remains unresolved.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersPublished By: Nitish SinghPublished On: Aug 22, 2026 04:30 IST