The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow construction to resume on a controversial $400 million ballroom project at the White House while it appeals a lower court's order to halt the work. The solicitor general filed a petition with the high court Friday, seeking to suspend a recent decision by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The legal battle concerns a planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom constructed after the East Wing was torn down last fall. The appeals court ruled last week that construction must stop because Congress has not approved the project, with the majority stating that President Trump does not possess the unilateral authority to proceed without additional congressional approval.
The lower court had suspended its own ruling for two weeks to provide the administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court. Solicitor General D. John Sauer urged the Supreme Court to rule on the stay petition before the appeals court's decision takes effect on August 21.
Sauer argued that the injunction halting construction of the "integrated military complex, including a totally secure ballroom space" at the East Wing is "extraordinary and unlawful" and that the project is "vitally required by national security." He asserted that any delay threatens President Trump's safety, citing recent assassination plots and threats he has faced.
According to Sauer, the ballroom is "65% complete" and "moving quickly toward total completion." The administration claims the ballroom is necessary not only for hosting guests but also for security purposes, featuring proposed drone ports on the roof, drone-proof defensive architecture, and an underground military bunker. The project is reportedly funded by private donations.
The appeals court's 2-1 decision favored historic preservationists who had sued to stop the ballroom's construction. President Trump had previously described the appeals court ruling as "horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful" in a social media post. This project is among several on White House grounds facing legal challenges, including renovations to the Kennedy Center, a proposed arch by Arlington National Cemetery, and work on the Reflecting Pool.