President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence on Aug. 14, 2026, in Garden City, New York. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay Friday that allowed President Donald Trump’s construction of a ballroom at the White House to move forward.
Roberts stayed a federal district court judge’s injunction, which had barred Trump from continuing construction while a lawsuit challenging the ballroom project played out.
The judge had scheduled the injunction to take effect on Friday, the day Roberts issued the order.
The entire Supreme Court can lift this stay if it so chooses.
Trump demolished the East Wing and began construction of the proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom in late October.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States sued, arguing that the Constitution and federal statutes require Congress to authorize any such construction, and the first branch of government did not do so. The trust also alleged that the administration proceeded without required environmental and planning reviews. Finally, it cited member Alison Hoagland, an architectural historian who said the project would impair her enjoyment of the area.
Meanwhile, the administration argued that the ballroom is a security project. Threats of political violence have dogged the White House, notably at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The administration has also argued that plaintiffs are not sufficiently injured to bring a lawsuit, and that Trump possesses the authority to proceed with the project.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
