United States President Donald Trump’s administration has approached the US Supreme Court, seeking permission to continue construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House while it challenges a lower court’s order halting the project.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed the emergency application on Friday, August 14, 2026, asking the Supreme Court to suspend a decision of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit which barred further above-ground construction.

The Court of Appeals had, in a 2-1 decision delivered on August 7, held that the Trump administration lacked the authority to undertake the massive construction project without congressional approval.

The disputed project involves the construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the site previously occupied by the White House’s historic East Wing, which was demolished in 2025.

The majority of the appellate panel held that decisions involving substantial and permanent alterations to the White House were matters for Congress and could not be undertaken unilaterally by the President.

The court, however, temporarily suspended the effect of its judgment for two weeks to enable the administration to seek relief from the Supreme Court. The order is expected to take effect on August 21 unless the apex court intervenes.

In its emergency application, the Trump administration argued that stopping construction would disrupt work on what it described as an integrated military and national security complex.

The administration maintained that the development was not merely a hospitality project, claiming that it also incorporated underground bomb shelters, medical facilities and protective structures designed to shield the White House against missile attacks and other security threats.

Sauer argued that the judiciary had improperly interfered with the President’s constitutional authority to oversee the White House complex and protect its occupants.

According to the administration, construction is already about 65 per cent complete, and an abrupt suspension could create security risks, logistical difficulties and substantial financial losses.

The legal dispute arose from a suit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the demolition of the East Wing and commencement of the ballroom project without congressional authorisation and full compliance with federal preservation and environmental laws.

The organisation argued that the administration exceeded its powers by proceeding with the demolition and construction without adequate public scrutiny and statutory approvals.

A federal district court initially ordered the suspension of above-ground construction, prompting the administration to approach the Court of Appeals.

The divided Court of Appeals subsequently upheld the restriction, although one judge dissented on the ground that the National Trust for Historic Preservation lacked the legal standing to institute the action.

Trump has criticised the decision, describing it as politically motivated and insisting that the project is necessary to improve both the hospitality and security facilities available at the White House.

The Supreme Court has not announced when it will rule on the emergency application

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