Supreme Court Temporarily Clears Path for Trump White House Ballroom Construction

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday temporarily allowed President Donald Trump to continue construction of a large new ballroom on the White House grounds.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., acting alone on an emergency application, issued a one-sentence administrative stay. The order pauses a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that would have required above-ground work to stop at midnight Friday.

The stay remains in effect pending further action by Roberts or the full court. It does not decide the underlying legal dispute.

The project, estimated at about $400 million, would replace the East Wing, which the administration demolished last year. Plans call for a structure of roughly 90,000 square feet capable of seating about 1,000 people, larger than the original proposals of 650 or 900 seats.

Lower courts had found that Trump lacked authority to proceed without congressional approval. A federal district judge and then a divided appeals court panel held that the president, as a temporary occupant of the White House, could not make such permanent alterations on his own.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the lawsuit, arguing the work would cause irreversible harm to a historic landmark. The group said Friday it was aware of the stay and awaited further action, noting it was not a final ruling on the merits.

In court filings, Justice Department lawyers described the project as an integrated military complex that includes a secure ballroom and upgrades to the underground Presidential Emergency Operations Center. They cited recent assassination attempts and other threats as reasons the work is necessary for national security.

A White House official told the court the complex is already about 65 percent complete, with crews working 20-hour days. Officials warned that stopping construction now would leave an unfinished structure that could pose safety risks.

Trump welcomed the decision on social media, calling the military-ballroom complex vital for national security and describing it as the greatest of its kind. He said presidents have sought such a facility for 150 years.

The administration has argued the project is intertwined with security renovations already under way. Critics, including the preservation group, contend the rapid pace is an attempt to create a fait accompli before the courts can fully review the case.

The Supreme Court has not set a timetable for its next step. Construction can continue in the meantime.

The dispute raises broader questions about the limits of presidential authority over the White House and the role of Congress in approving major alterations to the executive residence and its grounds.