In brief
Donald Trump has requested the Supreme Court to allow the ongoing construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House to proceed pending congressional approval. The move comes after an appeals court halted work until Congress signs off on the project. The National Trust for Historic Preservation claims the project violated federal oversight rules. The attorney general argues that the ballroom is vital for national security and large events. The court decision will determine whether construction can resume before August 21.
President Donald Trump has filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court to allow the construction of a $400 million ballroom inside the White House to continue while the administration appeals a stop‑work order issued by an appeals court. The request was filed after the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued the administration over the project, secured a ruling that halted construction until Congress approved the plan.
In the filing, Solicitor General D John Sauer described the order as "dangerous" and argued that halting work would amount to a de facto “construction‑by‑injunction.” He also said that the President’s argument that the ballroom is needed for large events and national security – including bomb shelters and a medical treatment centre – remains valid. Sauer further claimed that the project is funded entirely by private corporate donations, so congressional approval is not required.
The appeals court decision does not take immediate effect – it will take hold on 21 August – but the Supreme Court’s emergency application will decide whether construction can resume before that date. If the Court declines, work will stop and the $400 million project will stall.
The ballroom project is part of a broader Trump initiative to reshape Washington’s historic landmarks, including renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and a planned “Arc de Trump” similar to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe. Critics argue that the administration has repeatedly bypassed required review and public‑comment processes, a claim that the President denies.
The outcome of this legal battle could set precedent for future federal construction projects that involve historic sites.
