RismadarVoice Reporters
August 21, 2026
The United States Supreme Court has temporarily allowed President Donald Trump to continue construction of a new ballroom adjoining the White House while the justices consider the next steps in the legal dispute.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay on Friday, blocking lower court orders that would have halted construction of the above-ground portion of the project.
The decision is provisional and does not represent a final ruling on the legality of the construction.
The legal challenge was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued that Trump lacked the authority to proceed with the project and raised objections to the design of the proposed ballroom.
The Trump administration has said the privately funded project is estimated to cost $400 million and was about 65 per cent complete as of August 14.
According to court filings, about 250 workers have been involved in the project, operating 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
The project also includes extensive underground facilities, including secure areas and medical facilities, which the administration says are necessary for security purposes.
A federal judge had previously ruled that underground construction could continue but ordered that work on the ballroom itself be halted while the legal challenge proceeded.
On August 7, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the lower court’s decision and set Friday as the deadline for construction to stop unless the Supreme Court intervened.
Roberts’ temporary stay now allows construction to continue while the Supreme Court considers whether further action is required.
