Trump Administration Seeks Supreme Court Stay on White House Ballroom Halt
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The White House asked the Supreme Court to pause a lower-court order that stopped construction of a new ballroom, while it prepares a full appeal.
The White House filed a petition with the Supreme Court requesting that it keep in place a district-court of appeals order that halted work on a new ballroom in the East Wing of the residence. The appeals court had ruled the project lacked required congressional approval, though it allowed underground security work to continue.
In the filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the injunction was "extraordinary and unlawful" and would stop construction of an "integrated military complex" that includes a secure ballroom deemed essential for national security. The administration maintains that the ballroom and the underlying security facility are part of a single system intended to address security deficiencies.
The appeals court had paused its own ruling until August 21 to give the administration time to seek the Supreme Court’s review. If granted, the stay would allow construction to resume while the legal challenge proceeds.