Trump asks US Supreme Court to allow $400m ballroom project to proceed

What the report says

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to let construction of a proposed $400 million ballroom at the White House move ahead, after lower courts temporarily blocked the project. According to Al Jazeera and Reuters, the Justice Department filed the request on Friday, seeking a stay of an injunction that paused the work while litigation continues.

The dispute centers on whether the administration can continue the project without congressional approval. A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, ruled on August 7 that construction should stop unless the government gets authorization from Congress, while giving the administration time to appeal. That decision upheld an earlier order from US District Judge Richard Leon, and applied to above-ground work that would alter the visible appearance of the White House.

The White House ballroom plan has drawn opposition from preservation groups and others. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued in December after the East Wing was torn down and work began on what the report describes as a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The administration has argued the project is needed for security and event-hosting purposes, while critics have questioned both the legal basis and the growing cost.

The report says Trump has insisted construction will continue and urged the Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court ruling. It also notes that the project has become part of a broader effort by Trump to reshape parts of Washington, DC.