On August 14, 2026, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow above-ground construction of the White House Ballroom to continue while it appeals a ruling that requires congressional authorization for that work.
Immediate Background
On August 7, a divided 2–1 panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a lower-court order barring above-ground ballroom construction unless Congress authorizes the project. The appeals court delayed enforcement for 14 days to give the administration time to seek Supreme Court review. The order treats below-ground and safety-related work separately.
The Emergency Application
Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed an emergency application asking the Supreme Court to keep the appellate ruling on hold while the administration pursues a full appeal. The filing argues that the broader East Wing project incorporates significant security infrastructure and that interrupting construction would create security and project-management problems.
Chief Justice John Roberts directed the National Trust for Historic Preservation to respond by Tuesday, August 18.
The Underlying Challenge
The National Trust brought the underlying lawsuit challenging the ballroom project. It maintains that a project of this scale requires congressional authorization and opposes allowing above-ground construction to continue while the litigation proceeds.
What Happens Next
The immediate question is whether the construction restriction will remain on hold during further review. An emergency application is not the same as a Supreme Court decision to hear the full case, and no outcome on the application had been announced as of August 16.
WHBallroom will continue following the litigation, construction posture, and major review milestones on the Project Status page.