Supreme Court Rules 5–4 White House Ballroom Construction May Go Ahead

The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order Aug. 31 allowing construction of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project to continue while the administration contests a lower court order that would block much of the development.

The justices voted 5–4 to grant the federal government’s request to stay a lower court’s order halting above-ground construction of the ballroom while a lawsuit against the project by a historic preservation group plays out.

Construction on the project, which calls for building a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, began in September 2025. Building it required demolishing the East Wing, which Trump said was too small and in poor shape. The project is expected to cost about $400 million, all of which will be funded by private donors, according to the president.

This is a developing story and will be updated.