Supreme Court Allows White House Ballroom Construction to Proceed; Roberts Dissents

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Monday, August 31, 2026, granting the Trump administration's emergency request to let construction continue indefinitely on Trump's roughly $400 million White House ballroom, built on the site of the demolished East Wing. The unsigned majority order found the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the underlying suit, likely lacks legal standing to challenge the project, and did not rule on whether Trump has authority to build without congressional approval. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court's three liberal justices in dissent, writing that the construction 'is likely unlawful' because federal law bars erecting any building or structure on federal reservations, parks, or public grounds in Washington, D.C. without express congressional authorization.