Supreme Court Allows Ballroom Construction to Continue for Now

The action on Friday will allow time for the justices to consider a lower court’s ruling that the construction was unlawful.

Construction continues on a new helipad on the South Lawn of the White House and the $400 million White House East Wing ballroom on August 20, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The Supreme Court on Friday permitted construction to continue on the $400 million White House ballroom, an action that will allow time for the justices to consider a lower court’s ruling that the construction was unlawful.

Chief Justice John Roberts blocked the order from United States District Judge Richard J. Leon (a George W. Bush-appointed judge) in March that would have gone into effect Friday requiring construction to stop without explicit approval from Congress. In his ruling, Leon allowed underground construction to continue while the Trump administration appealed the decision.