Supreme Court Issues Temporary Stay Allowing Continuation of White House Ballroom Construction
The Supreme Court granted a provisional stay, permitting President Donald Trump's administration to keep building the above-ground portion of a new White House ballroom while legal challenges proceed.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued a temporary stay that blocks lower-court orders halting the construction of a new ballroom attached to the White House. Chief Justice John Roberts signed the order, allowing the above-ground work to continue while the Court reviews the case further.
The legal challenge was filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which contends that the president lacks authority to proceed and objects to the design on aesthetic grounds. The administration argues that the $400 million project, 65 % complete as of Aug. 14, includes essential underground facilities for security and medical use, and is being funded privately.
A federal district judge had previously ruled that while underground work could proceed, the ballroom itself must stop pending litigation. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling on Aug. 7, setting a deadline for a halt unless the Supreme Court intervened. The Court’s stay is provisional, giving the justices additional time to consider the merits of the case.