Key facts
- The Supreme Court has issued a temporary stay on a judicial order halting White House ballroom construction.
- The administrative stay allows construction to continue while the court considers the administration's request.
- The project, estimated at $400 million, includes a ballroom and an underground complex with security features.
- A historic preservation group is suing to stop the project, arguing it lacks congressional approval.
- Previous court rulings had ordered a halt to above-ground construction.
The U.S. Supreme Court has granted an administrative stay, temporarily halting a judicial order that would stop the construction of a new White House ballroom. This action provides the justices with more time to consider the Trump administration's formal request to proceed with the $400 million project while a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation moves forward.
The Justice Department argued in a filing that the project is a critical national security necessity, citing threats against the president. The National Trust sued last year, asserting that the administration demolished the East Wing and began building the 90,000-square-foot ballroom without specific congressional approval.
Previously, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a district judge's order to halt above-ground construction, stating that presidents are temporary tenants and cannot fundamentally reshape the White House without congressional consent. The administration contends that the overall East Wing project is 65% complete, including underground facilities and security features.
Trump has described the project as a "military center" and called the D.C. Circuit's decision "horrendous" and politically motivated. The National Trust urged the Supreme Court to reject the administration's bid, emphasizing that no court has granted the administration unilateral authority to build the ballroom without express approval from Congress.