Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow White House Ballroom Construction
The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to allow construction of a $400 million White House ballroom to continue, despite a federal court injunction requiring congressional approval. The administration filed an emergency application on Friday, seeking to block the injunction, which is set to take effect on August 21, 2026. According to US Solicitor General D John Sauer, work on the project is 65% done, and not granting the emergency application would amount to “construction-by-injunction”.
The White House ballroom project has been the subject of a legal battle since October, when the administration demolished the East Wing of the White House to begin construction without congressional approval. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit arguing that the project was unlawful because it began without a legally required review, which includes public comment and approval by entities such as the National Capital Planning Commission. The president and the government’s lawyers have argued that the project includes military facilities, including bomb shelters and centers for medical treatment, and that building the ballroom is vital for national security.
The appeals court decision does not take effect until August 21, when ballroom construction will have to cease unless the Supreme Court grants the emergency application. Sauer said that forcing the president to come to Congress for approval “gives the legislature dangerous leverage”. The Trump administration has long argued that the White House lacks a large event space and that building one is necessary for national security, especially amid assassination threats.
This development is connected to a prior story where the National Trust for Historic Preservation won a ruling that halted construction, citing the need for congressional approval.
