Chief Justice John Roberts has temporarily permitted construction to continue on President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project. This order comes as the Supreme Court reviews the Trump administration’s emergency request to intervene in ongoing lawsuits regarding the project.
The temporary decision was issued just hours before lower-court rulings would have mandated a halt to aboveground construction. It will remain in effect until the Supreme Court issues a more definitive ruling. The one-page order from Roberts did not provide specific reasoning or an anticipated timeline for a further decision.
Roberts signed the order because he oversees appeals for cases originating in Washington. His decision pauses a ruling from a Washington-based judge who determined that work on the ballroom must cease due to a lack of congressional approval.
The Trump administration asserts that the president possesses complete authority to renovate the White House and other federal buildings as deemed appropriate, emphasizing that the ballroom project is essential for national security. However, when the project was initially announced, national security was not highlighted by the president, who stated it would be funded by private donations, including his own contributions.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation contends that Trump lacks unilateral authority for the work, which has involved the demolition of the East Wing. Lawyers representing the preservation group have accused the White House of attempting to expedite construction to avoid court intervention.
A spokesperson for the trust indicated that Roberts’ order is not a final resolution, and the group awaits further court action. The White House has not yet commented on the matter.
According to court documents filed by the Justice Department, 65% of the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom, located where the East Wing once stood, has been completed. Crews are reportedly working 20 hours daily, seven days a week, on the project. Approximately $200 million in private donations has either been spent or committed to the project.
In April, a district court judge ordered a stop to aboveground construction, a ruling that was initially suspended before being upheld by an appeals court panel. This order from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a nominee of President George W. Bush, permits belowground work on bunkers and military installations to continue.
Two appeals-court judges, appointed by Democratic presidents, concluded that the project required congressional approval and was not an executive matter. A third judge, appointed by Trump, found that the preservationist group challenging the project lacked legal standing to sue. Solicitor General D. John Sauer echoed this argument, describing the decision to halt work as extraordinary and unlawful, and reiterated the project’s vital national security requirement.
