Chicago – August 21, 2026
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has temporarily allowed construction of President Donald Trump’s planned $400 million White House ballroom to continue while the court considers the administration’s emergency appeal.
Roberts signed the order on Friday, preventing a lower-court directive from taking effect. The directive would have halted above-ground construction unless the administration secured approval from Congress. Roberts oversees emergency appeals arising from Washington-based cases.
The 90,000-square-foot ballroom is being built on the former site of the White House’s East Wing. The National Trust for Historic Preservation challenged the project, arguing that Trump lacked unilateral authority to demolish the East Wing and begin construction without congressional authorization.
A federal appeals court ruled 2–1 on August 7 that decisions involving major changes to the White House belong to Congress, not the executive branch. The administration has described the project as an integrated military and security complex, citing bomb shelters and protection against potential attacks.
The Justice Department says approximately 65 percent of the work is complete. The Supreme Court’s temporary order does not resolve the legal dispute, and the justices may later issue a broader ruling on whether construction can proceed.
