Trump Scores Supreme Court Win Over $400M White House Ballroom — As Prez Allowed to Continue Construction on 'Fortress'
President Trump's ballroom fantasy may continue thanks to the Supreme Court.
Aug. 31 2026, Published 8:03 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump has scored a major Supreme Court victory in the battle over his controversial $400million White House ballroom, clearing the way for construction on the massive East Wing project to continue, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed a lower-court injunction that had largely blocked above-ground construction on the ballroom – part of the same sprawling project Radar previously revealed includes a nuclear-ready underground fortress complete with bomb shelters, sniper nests, a drone port and an underground medical facility.
Supreme Court Clears Way for Construction
The Supreme Court stayed a lower-court injunction that had largely blocked above-ground construction on Trump's White House ballroom project.
The Monday, August 31 ruling marks the latest development in a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the massive redevelopment project after the old East Wing was demolished in late 2025.
A federal district judge granted the group a preliminary injunction in March, allowing construction on the underground military installation to continue but largely blocking further work above ground. The D.C. Circuit subsequently upheld the injunction, setting the stage for the Trump administration to take its fight to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has now stayed the injunction, finding the Trump administration is likely to succeed in arguing the preservation group lacks legal standing to challenge the project. However, the justices made clear they were not deciding whether Trump's East Wing project itself is legal.
The stay will allow construction to continue while the administration pursues its anticipated petition asking the Supreme Court to hear the broader case.
Court Says Group Likely Lacks Standing
The justices said the preservation group likely lacks legal standing to challenge Trump's East Wing project.
The ruling also thrust the extraordinary national security concerns surrounding the project back into the spotlight.
Government officials told the court the above-ground ballroom and below-ground military installation constitute a "single, coherent" project that cannot readily be separated into two distinct pieces.
The Secretary of the Army said the planned ballroom's "height and mass" are "crucial" to shielding the underground installation from "kinetic impacts."
National Security Concerns Take Center Stage
Government officials argued the ballroom and underground military installation are part of a 'single, coherent' security project.
Without the ballroom's planned height and mass, the government claimed engineers would have to dig "impractically deep" to provide the necessary protection.
Officials also warned that every day construction remains delayed could impair Secret Service "protective operations."
A prolonged construction period could also increase the risk of foreign actors "gathering intelligence on" the project and create significant structural and infrastructure problems, according to declarations submitted to the court.
Justice Roberts Warns Project Is 'Likely Unlawful'
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Chief Justice John Roberts warned in dissent that construction of Trump's ballroom is 'likely unlawful.'
Despite Trump's victory, Chief Justice John Roberts delivered a sharp warning about the legality of the project, declaring in a dissent joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson: "That construction is likely unlawful."
Roberts argued federal law prohibits construction on federal park grounds in Washington, D.C., without express authorization from Congress – authority he said lawmakers have not provided for Trump's ballroom.
The chief justice also questioned whether $2.475million Congress appropriated this fiscal year for White House maintenance and safety could justify using hundreds of millions of dollars in private donations to demolish the East Wing and construct the ballroom.
For now, however, the project can move forward. The Supreme Court's stay will remain in effect while the Trump administration seeks further review, leaving construction free to continue despite the unresolved battle over the ballroom's legality.
