WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project received a temporary boost Friday when the U.S. Supreme Court allowed construction to continue while it reviews a legal challenge seeking to stop the project.
The decision, issued by Chief Justice John Roberts, puts an earlier order blocking construction on hold for now. The case centers on whether the Trump administration can make major changes to the historic White House complex without congressional approval.
The lawsuit was filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argues that continued construction could cause irreversible damage to the White House, a historic landmark.
The group said the Supreme Court’s administrative stay was not a final decision on the government’s request and that it was awaiting further action.
A federal appeals court had previously ordered construction to halt, ruling that Trump was a “temporary tenant” of the White House and could not make major alterations without congressional approval. The administration appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court.
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Trump welcomed the decision and has defended the ballroom as necessary for both official events and national security. He has argued that the White House needs a larger venue for state visits, formal gatherings and other major events.
Government lawyers have said the project includes security features intended to protect the presidential complex from threats including drones, ballistic missiles and biological hazards. They have described those measures as essential to protecting the president, his family and staff.
The project has expanded significantly since it was announced in July 2025. It was initially planned as a 650-person ballroom that would incorporate the existing East Wing. Later designs increased its capacity to 900 and then about 1,000 people, with the East Wing slated for demolition.
The planned complex would include a large ballroom above ground and a security facility below it. Trump has also cited security concerns following an assassination attempt at a White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April.
The preservation group disputes the administration’s argument, saying a ballroom does not constitute a national security emergency and that federal preservation authorities should have an opportunity to review the plans before additional work proceeds.
The group has also challenged the lack of congressional involvement before demolition and construction began.
The ballroom dispute is part of a broader effort by Trump to reshape Washington’s landscape. Other projects include a helipad on the White House South Lawn, renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and a proposed “Arc de Trump,” which is intended to be larger than Paris’ Arc de Triomphe.
For now, the Supreme Court’s stay allows construction to continue, but the broader legal dispute over the project remains unresolved.
