President Donald Trump’s administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to allow construction of his $400 million White House ballroom to proceed while it appeals a federal appeals court’s stop-work order, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown over the president’s authority to bypass Congress on the controversial project.
The emergency application, filed by U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer, came one week after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in a 2-1 decision that Trump must halt construction because Congress has not approved the project, according to the BBC and PBS News.
In his filing, Sauer argued that the ballroom project is “vitally required by national security” and that the appeals court’s injunction was “dangerous.” The administration says the 90,000-square-foot ballroom will provide enhanced security and a large event space the White House currently lacks, along with integrated military facilities including bomb shelters and medical treatment centers.
The appeals court’s decision does not take effect until August 21, meaning construction can continue for now while the Supreme Court considers the emergency request. Chief Justice John Roberts ordered the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to stop the project, to file a response by noon on Tuesday, according to BBC reporting.
The legal fight centers on whether Trump can unilaterally build the ballroom using private donations without congressional authorization. The administration has argued that because the project is fully funded by private corporate donations—not taxpayer money—Congress approval is unnecessary. The appeals court panel disagreed, ruling that Congress retains control over funding and major modifications to the White House, a publicly owned building.
Trump ordered the East Wing of the White House demolished in October 2025 to clear space for the ballroom, despite the project lacking the legally required reviews and public comment periods typically mandated for federal construction, according to PBS News. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed suit soon after, arguing the administration had bypassed necessary approvals from entities such as the National Capital Planning Commission.
Sauer claimed in his Supreme Court filing that the project is already 65% complete and that halting it would amount to “construction-by-injunction.” He also argued that forcing the president to seek congressional approval would give the legislature “dangerous leverage” over White House security decisions.
The Trust countered that the administration is “actively attempting to outrun the courts by accelerating construction” and “refusing to listen” to previous rulings. In a statement following the emergency application, the Trust said the administration’s “transparent efforts to evade the rule of law” must stop.
The ballroom project is part of Trump’s broader effort to remake Washington’s landscape, which also includes renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and a planned “Arc de Trump” in the style of Paris’s Arc de Triomphe. All three projects have faced allegations that the administration sidestepped required review and public-comment processes—charges the president denies.
The Supreme Court’s decision on whether to suspend the appeals court’s order could come within days, determining whether construction resumes or remains frozen pending the full appeal. The case reflects a fundamental constitutional question: whether presidential authority over the White House extends to major structural changes without legislative oversight.
Sources
- BBC News — Trump’s emergency Supreme Court application, Solicitor General’s arguments on national security and construction progress, National Trust’s response, details of the appeals court decision and August 21 deadline.
- PBS News — Background on East Wing demolition in October 2025, legal framework for the dispute, appeals court’s 2-1 ruling requiring congressional approval, details on the project’s scope and funding.
- Associated Press — Appeals court’s 2-1 decision on August 7, the court’s ruling that Congress must approve the project, Trump’s argument that congressional approval is unnecessary.
