A high-stakes fight over President Donald Trump’s sweeping White House makeover took a sharp turn when the US Supreme Court cleared the way—at least for now—for construction of a $400 million ballroom to keep moving.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary order lifting a lower court directive that would have forced builders to stop work on the project by midnight.
In a single sentence, the court’s action allows construction to proceed while the legal battle continues in the lower courts, despite objections from historical preservation groups that have challenged the renovation.
The Trump administration asked the conservative-dominated Supreme Court last week to let it finish the ballroom and an underground bunker at the White House, arguing the complex is essential to national security.
Mr Trump ordered the demolition of the entire historic East Wing last year—without input from Congress—to clear space for the ballroom he has long wanted, a move that quickly triggered court challenges.
A district court later required work to stop on the above-ground ballroom while permitting construction of the underground military bunker to continue, though that order had been put on hold during the appeal process.
Read more: Trump asks US Supreme Court to allow ballroom construction
That pause narrowed when an appellate court recently upheld the district court’s ruling, agreeing that an overhaul of this scale at the White House required explicit congressional consent. The appeals court, however, gave the administration time to seek relief from the Supreme Court.
Mr Trump originally promoted the ballroom as a way to better host galas and state dinners, but he has increasingly framed the project around security—repeatedly spotlighting the underground military bunker and other protective upgrades.
After the Supreme Court’s temporary intervention, he publicly thanked the justices.
“We are grateful for the Decision of the United States Supreme Court,” Mr Trump said on his Truth Social network.
“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!”
“Construction is under budget and ahead of schedule,” he said.
‘Not a tenant’
In the administration’s appeal, Solicitor General John Sauer also leaned heavily on the security rationale and argued that the president has broad authority to alter the White House.
“The President of the United States of America is not a tenant, but rather the sole, elected head of the Executive Branch, and Congress has authorised him to renovate, secure, and protect the White House and its grounds, as other Presidents have been allowed to do, without exception,” Mr Sauer said.
He told the court the project is already 65% complete and warned that stopping it “will stall this vital construction, making this president – the subject of recurrent assassination attempts – much less safe, and risking future presidents’ safety”.
Construction of the ballroom began last year following the abrupt demolition of the East Wing, an area that previously housed the offices of the First Lady.
Mr Trump has insisted the ballroom will be privately financed. But media reports say significant taxpayer funds are being directed to the project, which could ultimately run as high as $600 (€514) million.
The ballroom is one of several efforts by Mr Trump to stamp his imprint on Washington before his second term ends in January 2029.
Other initiatives include renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, work on public parks and plans to build a gigantic arch.
Several of those projects have also drawn legal challenges, but the ballroom dispute is the first to reach the Supreme Court.
