Supreme Court lets White House continue construction on Trump’s $400
million ballroom
[September 01, 2026]
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST
WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed the White
House to continue construction on a $400 million ballroom project as
lawsuits play out, a win for President Donald Trump as he flexes
unprecedented executive power and remakes the capital in his image.
The apparent 5-4 decision replaces a temporary order issued earlier this
month, shortly before a court-ordered halt would have gone into effect.
That temporary order was signed by Chief Justice John Roberts, assigned
to handle appeals from the capital. But he publicly disagreed with the
latest decision, writing a strong dissent that said the project is
likely unlawful because it hasn't been approved by Congress.
“Today’s decision is no victory for the separation of powers,” Roberts
wrote. The court’s three liberal-leaning justices agreed.
The majority, on the other hand, found the National Trust for Historic
Preservation likely did not have the legal right to challenge the
project.
The unsigned order pointed to government arguments that the ballroom
would address national security concerns by shielding a planned
underground military installation and offering a more secure structure
for large events than the tents currently used.
By contrast, “the only harm the Trust claims is the offense one of its
members will suffer from having to view a structure of the ‘scale,’
‘height,’ and ‘massing’ the government intends,” it states.
Trump applauded the decision, writing in a social media post, “I am
pleased to report that the United States Supreme Court has just ruled in
favor of the Ballroom/Military Complex being built without any further
contingency, doubt, or threat.”
The majority's order did not directly decide the legality of the
project, and the suit will return to lower courts. Documents filed in
the case, though, say that key portions of the project could be complete
within months — a quick timeline compared with a typical legal case.
The trust's president and CEO, Brent Leggs, said the group was
disappointed with the decision but pleased with Roberts' dissent. “This
is not the final decision on the merits of our case and does not resolve
our fundamental argument — that each President is a temporary steward of
the People’s House and does not have the unilateral authority to
demolish and redesign it without the approval of Congress,” he said in a
statement.
The Trump administration asked the justices to intervene after federal
courts found the project must halt because it didn't have congressional
approval.
The lawsuit from the trust argued that Trump has no unilateral authority
to undertake the work, which has included demolishing the East Wing. The
group’s lawyers accused the White House of trying to “outrun the courts”
by accelerating construction.
In lower courts, the administration has argued that the president has
total authority to renovate the White House and other federal buildings.
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The new White House ballroom under construction, built on the
demolished East Wing, is pictured, as seen from the Washington
Monument, Sunday, August. 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel
Balce Ceneta)
The trust and the four dissenters, however, note that federal law
prohibits the construction of any structure on federal parks or
public grounds in D.C. “without express authority of Congress.”
The trust and its members, meanwhile, are “deeply committed to the
preservation of historic American buildings," bolstering their legal
right to sue, Roberts wrote.
Trump on Monday called the lawsuit “baseless.”
“When completed in the Summer of 2028, the magnificent Ballroom and
Military Complex will be something that the entire Country is very
proud of,” he wrote.
The administration has said crews are working 20 hours a day on the
planned 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom. The
framework is expected to be completed in November and much of the
facade done by April, with full completion slated for August 2028,
according to court documents.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ordered a stop to aboveground
construction of the planned ballroom in April, though the order
would allow work on bunkers and military installations below ground
to continue. Leon was nominated by President George W. Bush, a
Republican.
The ruling was suspended but later upheld by a divided appeals court
panel. Two judges appointed by Democratic presidents found the
project was for Congress to decide and “not a matter for Executive
self-help.” A third judge, appointed by Trump, found that the
preservationist group that challenged the project had no legal right
to sue.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer also made that argument to the
justices and said the decision halting the work was “extraordinary
and unlawful.” He said the completion of the project was “vitally
required by national security.” National security was not an initial
focus when Trump announced the work he said would be funded by
private donations.
The administration has scored a series of other victories on the
high court’s emergency docket, though the justices have ruled
against some of the president’s signature policies after fuller
review.
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Associated Press writer Michael Kunzelman contributed to this story.
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