Supreme Court clears way for Trump to keep building White House ballroom
The National Trust for Historic Preservation argued the president did not have authority to proceed with construction.
The United States Supreme Court has given the green light for the construction of a new ballroom at the White House, marking a victory for President Donald Trump. This decision, made on August 24, 2026, allows work to continue on the East Wing ballroom and a new helipad on the South Lawn in Washington D.C.
In a 5-4 vote, the justices approved the Trump administration's urgent plea, overturning previous lower court decisions that would have stopped the above-ground construction of the project. The National Trust for Historic Preservation had initiated the legal challenge, contending that the president lacked the sole authority to proceed with the building.
Last autumn, Trump had the historic East Wing of the executive residence torn down to make way for the ballroom. The high court had initially permitted construction to proceed temporarily on Friday. Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay, enabling the ballroom project, which also incorporates a military complex, to continue while the court deliberated on the lawsuit seeking to halt it completely.
However, on Monday, Chief Justice Roberts, a conservative, joined the three liberal dissenting justices in stating that "construction is likely unlawful." The dissenting justices highlighted that Congress "has explicitly prohibited" the erection of any building or structure on federal land in the capital "without express authority of Congress." They further noted that the legislative branch had "not passed any law resembling 'express authority' for the Executive's construction of it."
In an unsigned order, the five judges who approved the construction stated that the Trump administration had demonstrated a high probability of success in arguing that it would "suffer irreparable harm without a stay, and that the balance of equities tips in its favor." They added, "Beginning with the merits, the government is likely to prevail in showing that the Trust lacks standing to challenge the East Wing project."
The $400 million (£297 million) ballroom project has been a long-standing desire of Trump, who has consistently argued for the need for a larger events space at the White House, and more recently, emphasized its importance for his security. Conversely, the National Trust for Historic Preservation maintained that the construction was inflicting irreversible damage on a historical landmark.