Supreme Court allows White House ballroom construction to proceed

The US Supreme Court ruled on August 31, 2026, that construction of a new ballroom at the White House can continue. Lower courts had blocked the project, saying the administration did not have the legal authority to build on White House grounds. Federal law requires Congress to approve construction on federal land in Washington, D.C., and Congress had not done so. The Supreme Court's conservative majority voted to allow work to continue while the court decides what to do next. Chief Justice John Roberts and the three liberal justices disagreed. They said the construction was probably against the law. President Trump said the project was costing less than planned and was finishing ahead of schedule.