Trump Asks Supreme Court to Allow White House Ballroom Construction During Appeal

The Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow construction to continue on a 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom while an appeal is pending.

The request seeks an emergency stay of an injunction that would halt above-ground construction. A federal appeals court had upheld a lower court's order directing the administration to stop above-ground construction, ruling that the project lacked congressional approval. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued in the petition that the injunction is extraordinary and unlawful and would halt the construction of an integrated military complex, including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House, which is vitally required by national security.

Sauer also stated the project is on time and under budget, funded by private donations, though Democrats claim Trump's tax law is helping pay for it. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the lawsuit, argued that the project bypassed federal preservation and public-review requirements. The appeals court had stayed its ruling for 14 days, giving the administration time to seek Supreme Court review, with a response deadline of Tuesday for the plaintiffs. The dispute centers on whether federal law authorizes the administration to construct the project without more specific congressional approval.