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Supreme Court continues to allow construction of Trump's White House ballroom
Confirmed
In April, the appellate panel granted an administrative stay sought by the Justice Department that allowed all White House ballroom construction to continue while the court considered briefs and heard arguments. A 5-4 conservative majority on the Supreme Court ruled Monday that construction on a new $400 million White House ballroom can proceed , reversing lower court orders that had temporarily halted aboveground work on the project. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court halted lower court rulings that would have temporarily blocked the construction of a new 90,000-square-foot ballroom where the East Wing once stood.
"This case involves an extraordinary and unlawful injunction that will halt the ongoing construction of the integrated military complex, including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House, which is vitally required by national security," Sauer wrote.
The Trump administration requested emergency relief from the court earlier this month after a federal appeals court ruled the White House lacked authority to build the $400 million project without congressional approval. Roberts had temporarily allowed work on the ballroom to continue earlier this month, giving the Supreme Court more time to weigh the Trump administration's bid for emergency relief. In its unsigned opinion, the court ruled that lower court judges "likely exceeded" their authority by blocking the ballroom.
The ballroom is funded by private donations, and $335 million of an expected $400 million has been raised, Joshua Fisher, director for White House Management and Administration, said in a declaration. The White House has said the $400 million project will be funded entirely by private donations, an assertion that has been widely disputed. The administration has said in court filings that construction was 65% complete as of Aug. 24, with a 250-person crew working 20 hours a day, seven days a week. The majority pointed to sworn declarations from top administration officials, including the director of National Intelligence, and heads of the Secret Service, Army and the State Department, who said the ballroom was necessary and had warned that any significant pause in construction would harm the government because of the national security facilities being built underground. The divided U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit concluded that Congress — not Mr. Trump or the White House — has "full constitutional control over federal property and the funding of its maintenance and development," and noted an "absence of any express or implied authorization" that grants Mr. Trump the ability to construct the ballroom.
What's confirmed
- In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court halted lower court rulings that would have temporarily blocked the construction of a new 90,000-square-foot ballroom where the East Wing once stood.
- The ballroom is funded by private donations, and $335 million of an expected $400 million has been raised, Joshua Fisher, director for White House Management and Administration, said in a declaration .
- The White House has said the $400 million project will be funded entirely by private donations, an assertion that has been widely disputed .
- A 5-4 conservative majority on the Supreme Court ruled Monday that construction on a new $400 million White House ballroom can proceed , reversing lower court orders that had temporarily halted aboveground work on…
What's still developing
- Roberts had temporarily allowed work on the ballroom to continue earlier this month, giving the Supreme Court more time to weigh the Trump administration's bid for emergency relief.
- In its unsigned opinion, the court ruled that lower court judges "likely exceeded" their authority by blocking the ballroom.
- The majority pointed to sworn declarations from top administration officials, including the director of National Intelligence, and heads of the Secret Service, Army and the State Department, who said the ballroom was…
- But Roberts, writing in dissent, said that construction of the ballroom is "likely unlawful.
- The Trump administration requested emergency relief from the court earlier this month after a federal appeals court ruled the White House lacked authority to build the $400 million project without congressional approval.
- The divided U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit concluded that Congress — not Mr. Trump or the White House — has "full constitutional control over federal property and the funding of its maintenance and…
- John Sauer asked the justices to pause the lower court ruling that blocked above-ground construction while the legal battle over the project plays out.
- "This case involves an extraordinary and unlawful injunction that will halt the ongoing construction of the integrated military complex, including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House,…