Camille Naredo

A general view of the South Portico of the White House prior to the arrival of Polish President Karol Nawrocki on September 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee, Getty Images/AFP/File

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 03: A general view of the South Portico of the White House prior to the arrival of Polish President Karol Nawrocki on September 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Nawrocki is visiting Washington to meet with President Trump for a bilateral meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine.   Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by WIN MCNAMEE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Article (news)

President Trump Meets With Visiting Polish President Karol Nawrocki At The White House

WASHINGTON — The US Supreme Court on Friday allowed construction of a massive White House ballroom to continue for now, giving President Donald Trump a temporary victory for one of his pet renovation projects.Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily lifted a lower court ruling that had demanded a halt to the building of the controversial ballroom by midnight on Friday.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/8/8/us-court-orders-halt-to-trump-ballroom-construction-1456">READ: US court orders halt to Trump ballroom construction</a></div>Roberts&#x27;s one-sentence order means that work on the ballroom, which has been challenged by historical preservation groups, may proceed while litigation plays out in the lower courts.Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said he was &quot;grateful&quot; for the Supreme Court decision.&quot;The Military/Ballroom Complex being built on the hallowed grounds of the White House, which is so vital for National Security, will be the greatest of its kind!&quot; he said. &quot;Construction is under budget and ahead of schedule.&quot;The Trump administration asked the conservative-dominated Supreme Court last week to allow it to finish building the ballroom and an underground bunker at the White House, saying the project was essential for national security.Trump ordered the demolition of the entire historic East Wing of the White House last year -- without input from Congress -- to make way for his long-desired ballroom, but the project was quickly challenged in court.A district court ordered a halt to work on the aboveground ballroom while allowing construction of the underground military bunker to proceed, but that order had been stayed while on appeal.The appellate court recently upheld the lower court&#x27;s order, agreeing that such a sweeping White House overhaul required the explicit consent of Congress, but gave the administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court.Trump initially touted the construction of the ballroom as being necessary to host galas and state dinners, but has since repeatedly emphasized the addition of a sophisticated underground military bunker and other security features.<div> </div><div>- &#x27;Not a tenant&#x27; -<img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787359989101AFP__20250903__2233549092__v3__MidRes__PresidentTrumpMeetsWithVisitingPolishPresiden.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="A general view of the South Portico of the White House prior to the arrival of Polish President Karol Nawrocki on September 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee, Getty Images/AFP/File"/>A general view of the South Portico of the White House prior to the arrival of Polish President Karol Nawrocki on September 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee, Getty Images/AFP/File</div>Solicitor General John Sauer, in the appeal to the Supreme Court, also stressed the security aspects of the project and argued that the president has the authority to make changes to the White House.&quot;The President of the United States of America is not a tenant, but rather the sole, elected head of the Executive Branch, and Congress has authorized him to renovate, secure, and protect the White House and its grounds, as other Presidents have been allowed to do, without exception,&quot; Sauer said.The project is already 65 percent complete, he said, and halting it &quot;will stall this vital construction, making this president -- the subject of recurrent assassination attempts -- much less safe, and risking future presidents&#x27; safety.&quot;<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/5/27/trump-builds-giant-stage-at-white-house-for-birthday-cage-fight-0641">READ: Trump builds giant stage at White House for birthday cage fight</a></div>Work on the ballroom began last year with the sudden demolition of the East Wing, which used to house the offices of the First Lady.Trump has insisted that the ballroom will be privately financed, but according to media reports significant taxpayer funds are going to the project, which could cost as much as $600 million.The ballroom is just one of Trump&#x27;s moves to leave his mark on Washington by the time his second term ends in January 2029. They include renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a White House helipad, work on public parks and plans to construct a gigantic downtown arch.Several of the projects have similarly faced legal challenges, but the ballroom project is the first to reach the Supreme Court.

The US Supreme Court on Friday allowed construction of a massive White House ballroom to continue for now, giving President Donald Trump a temporary victory for one of his pet renovation projects.

The US Supreme Court on Friday allowed construction of a massive White House ballroom to continue for now, giving President Donald Trump a temporary victory for one of his pet renovation projects.

US Supreme Court allows White House ballroom construction for now

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

World

US Supreme Court allows White House ballroom construction for now

Chris Lefkow,

Agence France-Presse

Published August 22, 2026 09:23 AM PHT

Read More:

Washington

United States

White House

US Supreme Court

Donald Trump

White House ballroom

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Haven't received our newsletter?

Check your inbox to verify and confirm your subscription.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.