The US Supreme Court ruled on 2026-01-05 that President Donald Trump may continue construction of a ballroom and military bunker at the White House. ^[1] On September 1, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a request for a stay, allowing the Trump administration to continue constructing a new ballroom at the White House. ^[2] The Supreme Court majority concluded that the National Trust is unlikely to have standing to ask a federal court to decide whether the project is legal at all. ^[3] President Donald Trump demolished the East Wing of the White House last fall and is currently constructing a new ballroom on the site without permission from Congress. ^[4] The Supreme Court issued a stay on Monday allowing the construction of the ballroom to continue, but the justices stated they were not addressing the legality of the project. ^[5] Chief Justice John Roberts joined three liberal justices in the majority opinion, while the other four justices issued a dissenting opinion. ^[6] The majority opinion stated that the National Trust for Historic Preservation lacked legal standing because individual aesthetic or historical objections do not constitute concrete injury. ^[7] Chief Justice John Roberts issued a dissenting opinion stating the project is likely illegal because Congress has not passed a law authorizing such a renovation. ^[8] In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the plaintiff, Alison Hoagland, likely lacks legal standing to challenge the construction project. ^[9] A federal court had ordered the suspension of construction work at the White House in early August. ^[10] Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three liberal judges in a dissent, writing that the ballroom renovation was likely illegal because it lacks authorization from Congress. ^[11] The US Supreme Court voted 5-4 to lift the suspension order, ruling that the plaintiff likely lacked legal standing to sue. ^[12]