On August 21, 2026, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued an administrative stay, temporarily allowing construction of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom to continue. This action puts on hold a preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that would have blocked above-ground work. The stay is in effect "pending further order" from Roberts or the Supreme Court, indicating that the underlying legal dispute over the project is not yet resolved.
The Trump administration had requested the Supreme Court's intervention, arguing that halting construction would jeopardize national security and the safety of the president and other senior officials. They described the project as an "integrated military complex" vital for protecting the president, his family, White House staff, and visiting foreign leaders. The project's cost had ballooned from an initial estimated $400 million to $600 million, with roughly half expected to be covered by taxpayer money.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to halt the project, opposed the administration's request. The group argued that Congress holds authority over federal property and had not authorized the ballroom project, and accused the administration of trying to "outrun judicial review" by accelerating construction. A 250-person crew had been working "20 hours a day, 7 days a week." The preservation group emphasized that the lower court injunction only stopped the construction of the ballroom, not the underground military facility or security features, and that if construction were allowed to continue, it would be difficult to deconstruct. President Trump, when asked about the case, expressed optimism that the court would allow the work to proceed, calling the lawsuit baseless.
