The Supreme Court issued an order on Friday allowing construction to move forward on the proposed ballroom addition at the White House. This decision grants a stay on a lower court ruling that previously ordered a pause on the project. The administration plans to proceed with the build despite ongoing legal opposition from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The project involves a 90,000-square-foot expansion on the site of the former East Wing. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has argued that the President lacks the necessary congressional approval for such a modification to the historic site. Their legal filings claim that the administration is attempting to accelerate construction to outrun judicial review of the project's legality.
While the President has stated the ballroom will house critical national security infrastructure including a hospital, bomb shelters, and a drone port, the cost remains a point of contention. The estimated price for the project has reached at least $300 million. This figure conflicts with earlier public statements suggesting taxpayers would not fund the expansion.
This dispute began in March after a federal judge initially ruled that construction must stop unless the work directly involved safety and security upgrades. Subsequent appeals led to split rulings regarding above-ground and below-ground work. With this latest Supreme Court action, the legal standoff continues as public polling shows a majority of voters disapprove of the project.