Trump Administration Urges Supreme Court to Allow Completion of White House Ballroom, Citing Security Risks
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The Justice Department argued that delaying the $400 million White House ballroom project would pose an unacceptable security risk, while preservation groups seek to halt construction.
The Justice Department told the Supreme Court that finishing the $400 million White House ballroom is a national-security imperative, arguing that any pause would create an "unacceptable risk" amid what it described as unprecedented threats to the president. The administration’s brief warned that unless the Court intervenes, a district judge’s order to stop above-ground work will take effect on Aug. 21.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to stop the project, contended that the construction could become irreversible if not halted now and accused the administration of trying to outrun judicial review. In response, Solicitor General John Sauer said the administration has "raced to 'outrun' the extraordinary security threats facing this President" and emphasized that the project is 65 % complete, making major changes impractical.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon previously ordered that only underground security work could continue without congressional approval. A federal appeals court upheld that order but delayed its immediate effect to allow the administration to seek Supreme Court review. The court noted that Congress is responsible for ensuring any major White House construction protects current and future presidents while preserving the site's historic significance.
President Trump called the lawsuit "a lawsuit that never should have been allowed to be brought" and described the preservation group as "trouble-makers." The ballroom, funded by private donations, is intended to host large events such as state dinners, a goal Trump has pursued since beginning demolition of the East Wing last October.