Trump administration seeks Supreme Court approval for White House ballroom construction

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to let it keep building a large ballroom at the White House. A federal appeals court ruled that the project does not have the required approval from Congress, and ordered work to stop on 21 August 2026. The administration wants the Supreme Court to block that order.

The ballroom will cover 90,000 square feet and cost $400 million. Construction is already 65% complete. The administration says the White House needs more space for big events and that this is a matter of national security.

A historic preservation group sued the government in December after workers demolished part of the White House to begin construction. The project is now partly funded by taxpayers, not only by private donations as the administration first said.