Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay allowing construction on President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom to continue while the Supreme Court considers whether to suspend a lower-court injunction that otherwise would have halted the project Friday night.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Construction on President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project can continue temporarily after Chief Justice John Roberts intervened Friday, preventing a lower-court order from taking effect while the Supreme Court considers the administration’s request for further relief.
Roberts issued a stay preserving the status quo as the justices review whether to pause an injunction blocking work on the project.
Without Supreme Court intervention, construction was scheduled to stop at 11:59 p.m. Friday.
The emergency application follows an escalating legal dispute between the Trump administration and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued over the planned addition to the White House complex.
The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court last Friday to step into the case after losing in the lower courts.
Solicitor General John Sauer argued on behalf of the administration that the ballroom project has national security and military implications because the structure includes a subterranean bunker and a rooftop drone port.
The administration first announced the ballroom project last summer, presenting it as a long-term addition intended to provide the White House with a substantially larger permanent venue for official events.
“For 150 years, Presidents, Administrations, and White House Staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed. President Donald J. Trump has expressed his commitment to solving this problem on behalf of future Administrations and the American people,” the Trump White House said.
Administration officials said the existing White House lacks sufficient indoor space for large state functions and other major gatherings, often requiring temporary structures to accommodate guests.
“The White House is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in the world, yet the White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance. The White House State Ballroom will be a much-needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of ornately designed and carefully crafted space, with a seated capacity of 650 people — a significant increase from the 200-person seated capacity in the East Room of the White House,” the White House said.
The project later became the subject of litigation brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
A federal judge earlier this year blocked construction, and the dispute subsequently reached the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The D.C. Circuit concluded that Congress has authority concerning modifications to federal property, a determination that became central to the administration’s attempt to keep construction moving while the case proceeds.
The Justice Department then turned to the Supreme Court, seeking emergency intervention before the lower-court injunction could force work to stop.
Roberts’ action does not represent a final ruling on the legality of the ballroom project or the administration’s broader arguments. Instead, it allows construction to continue while the Supreme Court determines whether the lower-court injunction should remain suspended during further litigation.
Trump has sharply criticized the lawsuit and those responsible for bringing it.
Last week, the president accused the challengers of exposing sensitive information connected to what he described as a military complex.
“These are the TREASONISTS that brought the suit against the Military Complex. They revealed Top Military Secrets!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
The administration’s Supreme Court filing has elevated the dispute beyond questions over historic preservation and construction authority by arguing that components of the planned facility serve security and military functions.
For now, Roberts’ stay prevents the Friday-night shutdown of construction, leaving work on the White House ballroom project underway while the Supreme Court considers the administration’s request to block the lower court’s injunction for a longer period.
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