US Supreme Court temporarily allows White House ballroom work to continue
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary order on August 21, 2026, allowing construction on President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project to continue while the Supreme Court considers the administration’s emergency appeal.
In short
- Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary order on August 21, 2026, allowing construction on President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project to continue while the Supreme Court considers the administration’s emergency appeal.
The United States Supreme Court temporarily allowed construction on President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project to continue on August 21, 2026, while it considers an emergency appeal from the administration.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued the temporary order, pausing an appellate court deadline that would have halted much of the work during a legal challenge. The order is interim and does not resolve the underlying dispute over whether the project requires approval from Congress.
A lower court had concluded that the project was likely to need congressional authorization. The administration argues that the president controls White House renovations and says construction includes security infrastructure needed to protect the president and senior officials.
The planned addition is estimated to cost more than $400 million and covers about 90,000 square feet. The administration says the project also includes an underground emergency complex and protective structural features.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sought to stop the construction. The Supreme Court will now consider the administration’s emergency appeal while work proceeds under the temporary order.
