A divided US Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 to allow construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House to continue while legal challenges work their way through the courts. The decision, handed down on Monday, overturns a lower-court injunction that had ordered a halt to above-ground construction, and replaces a temporary stay that Chief Justice John Roberts had issued earlier this month to give the court time to deliberate.
The majority, comprising five of the court's six conservative justices, did not rule on the legality of the project itself. Instead, they found that the National Trust for Historic Preservation — the non-profit group that brought the lawsuit — likely lacked the legal standing to challenge the construction. The court also cited the government's argument that halting the project would cause irreparable harm, given national security concerns. The case will now return to lower courts, though construction is moving at pace: crews are reportedly working 20 hours a day, with the structural framework expected to be complete by November and the facade largely finished by April. Full completion is slated for August 2028.
The project, which involves demolishing the East Wing — originally built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency and significantly expanded in 1942 under Franklin Roosevelt — has been contentious from the start. Trump initially announced it would be funded by private donations and described it as a much-needed events space, but the administration later reframed it as a national security necessity, citing alleged assassination attempts and other threats. The planned 8,400-square-metre complex combines an above-ground ballroom with an extensive underground facility, including bunkers, medical facilities, and drone and missile defences. The demolished East Wing had previously housed the first lady's offices and the White House movie theatre.
Chief Justice Roberts broke with his conservative colleagues in a pointed dissent, calling the project "likely unlawful" and warning that Congress holds constitutional authority over federal property in Washington. "Today's decision is no victory for the separation of powers," he wrote — a view shared by the court's three liberal-leaning justices. The National Trust for Historic Preservation said it was disappointed but welcomed the "strong dissent," stating that each president is "a temporary steward of the People's House" without unilateral authority to demolish and redesign it.
The ballroom is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape Washington's built environment, which also includes a helipad on the South Lawn, renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and plans for a monumental arch intended to surpass the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Trump responded to the ruling on social media, calling himself "pleased" and describing the planned structure as one of "the Greatest ever constructed in Washington, DC." The Supreme Court has ruled in Trump's favour on several emergency applications during his current term, though it has also blocked some of his policies after fuller review.