Trump asks US Supreme Court to allow $400m ballroom project to proceed

Appeals court previously ruled that Trump administration must seek authorisation from Congress to continue with project.

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to allow construction of his $400m ballroom to move forward.

On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the country’s highest court for a stay on a lower court’s injunction that paused Trump’s building efforts while litigation proceeds.

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The DOJ argued that construction on the ballroom, a topic of persistent focus for Trump, is necessary for security reasons.

“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,” the DOJ wrote.

Trump’s appeal to the Supreme Court was expected. On August 7, a majority on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered construction of the controversial ballroom halted unless the government gains congressional approval.

It set a deadline of August 21 for the construction to be stopped. But the injunction itself was stayed for 14 days, to allow the DOJ to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The appeals court’s ruling upheld a previous order issued by District Court Judge Richard Leon in April.

Like the April ruling, the appeals court’s ruling specifically related to above-ground construction that changes the visible characteristics of the White House.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the panel wrote in the decision.

Ongoing legal battle

The National Trust for Historic Preservation had filed a lawsuit in December, after the Trump administration tore down the East Wing of the White House and began work on a 90,000sq ft (8,360sq m) ballroom last year.

But Trump has repeatedly defied court rulings and insisted that work on the ballroom will continue.

Meanwhile, the price of the project to US taxpayers has ballooned, contradicting Trump’s earlier claims that it would be funded solely through outside donations.

Trump and his allies have argued that the new ballroom is needed to host secure events following a series of failed assassination attempts.

Critics have noted the ballroom plans come amid a wider push by the president to transform the US capital in his image, including through the construction of a massive triumphal arch.

After last week’s injunction, Trump decried the appeals court ruling on the ballroom construction.

“This unjust decision must be overturned by the Supreme Court in its entirety,” Trump wrote in response.

He added that the ballroom would include bomb shelters, medical facilities, protection from drones and missiles and other security features that are “all tied together as one big, expensive, and very complex unit”.