The U.S. Supreme Court, in a one‑page order signed by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. on Friday, temporarily lifted an appellate injunction and allowed above‑ground work on the Trump administration’s $400 million White House ballroom to continue while the case proceeds.
The order set aside a district‑court ruling and a D.C. Circuit decision that had halted construction of the 90,000‑square‑foot ballroom after the National Trust for Historic Preservation sued under the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The administration argues the project is required for national security and that presidents have broad authority over White House grounds; the Trust says congressional approval is mandatory.
With the stay in place, contractors can keep working on the above‑ground structure, preserving the momentum of a project already 65 % complete and funded largely by private donations. The decision delays any congressional vote on authorizing the ballroom and underscores the Court’s willingness to grant emergency relief to the executive, a factor of interest to preservation groups and policy observers.
The Trust maintains that the administration lacks unilateral legal authority and points to multiple court rulings requiring congressional consent, while a Trump‑appointed district judge found the plaintiffs had no standing. The appellate panel, composed of judges appointed by Democratic presidents, called the project “not a matter for executive self‑help,” highlighting the unresolved legal clash.