The U.S. Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, has issued an administrative stay, allowing President Donald Trump's administration to continue construction on the White House ballroom project. This action temporarily pauses a judicial order from Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Leon that would have stopped most above-ground work on the $400 million development. The stay gives the justices more time to consider the administration's formal request to allow continued construction while a lawsuit challenging the project proceeds. The project, which involved the demolition of the White House East Wing in 2025, is a major undertaking, with government lawyers stating it is 65% complete and crews working 20 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The dispute began last fall when the Trump administration tore down the East Wing to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit in December, arguing that Trump did not obtain the necessary congressional approvals or authorizations for the project. Judge Leon's initial order in April prohibited above-ground construction but allowed underground work for security features. This order was subsequently upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which granted the government 14 days to seek relief from the Supreme Court.
President Trump has defended the project, emphasizing its importance for national security and its role in accommodating grand parties and state visits. U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer described the lower court's injunction as "extraordinary and unlawful" and stressed that the project's completion was "vitally required by national security." The administration indicated that approximately $200 million in private donations had already been spent or committed to the project. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, however, criticized the Supreme Court's decision, calling it a "rubber stamping" of Trump's "vanity-driven, gilded corruption" and a waste of taxpayer money.
Chief Justice Roberts issued the temporary order as he oversees emergency appeals from the District of Columbia. The brief, one-sentence stay did not specify when the justices would make a more permanent decision on the government's request. This move represents a temporary victory for the Trump administration, allowing construction to continue without interruption as the legal battle progresses through the courts.
