Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump ballroom construction to continue

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed President Trump to keep building a new ballroom adjoining the White House, at least for now.

Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay blocking lower court rulings that would have halted the aboveground portion of the project. The order is provisional, buying the justices time to weigh next steps.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation brought the challenge, arguing Trump lacked authority to proceed and objecting to the design on aesthetic grounds. A federal judge sided with the trust, permitting underground work to continue while barring the ballroom itself during litigation. The D.C. Circuit upheld that ruling on Aug. 7, setting a Friday deadline to stop construction absent Supreme Court intervention.

The administration said in filings that the $400 million privately funded project was 65% complete as of Aug. 14, with a 250-person crew working 20 hours a day, seven days a week. The plan includes extensive underground facilities, including secure locations and medical facilities the administration calls vital for security.