The Supreme Court formally granted the Trump administration's request to move forward with construction of the White House East Wing ballroom project Monday, a decision that all but guarantees the building will be substantially finished before any final legal judgments and appeals are resolved.
The ruling drew a notable dissent from Chief Justice John Roberts, who joined the court's three liberal justices in opposing the decision. Roberts wrote that the ruling is "no victory for the separation of powers" and allows the "likely" infringement on Congress's power to continue.
The court's majority wrote in an unsigned opinion that the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to block the project, likely lacked standing to bring the suit at all. The opinion stated: "Today, we do not pass upon the legality of the government's East Wing project. We conclude only that, based on the submissions before us, the government is likely to prevail in showing that the Trust lacks Article III standing to challenge the project in federal court and that the remaining stay factors favor relief."
The National Trust had argued that only Congress holds the authority to approve substantial changes to the White House and that it never delegated that authority to Trump. Federal law gives Congress control over federal property, including the White House grounds, but has long allowed presidents to undertake the care, maintenance, repair, alteration, refurbishment, and improvement of the Executive Residence.
Trump initiated demolition of the White House East Wing in late 2025 to make way for the ballroom. The administration told the court that a crew of 250 workers has been working around the clock to finish the 90,000-square-foot structure and that it is 65% complete.
Trump posted on his social media platform Monday: "I am pleased to report that the United States Supreme Court has just ruled in favor of the Ballroom/Military Complex being built without any further contingency, doubt, or threat. We are living in the Golden Age of America, and this Building will be one of the Greatest ever constructed in Washington, D.C."
Trump also called the National Trust's lawsuit "baseless" and repeated a claim that the ballroom is fully funded by private donors. He wrote: "The Ballroom is totally funded by Great Patriots and Corporations and, therefore, is a Gift — At no cost to the American Taxpayer." Questions about where that funding is coming from have not been resolved.
