By James Romoser and Lydia Wheeler

WASHINGTON-The Supreme Court on Friday said President Trump can keep building his White House ballroom for now, as the justices continue weighing his emergency appeal to let the construction proceed.

The interim measure, known as an administrative stay, gives the justices more time to consider whether a lower court's stop-work order against the project should take effect. Without the high court's action, that injunction would have kicked in on Saturday and immediately halted construction of the 90,000 square-foot project that Trump says is needed for national security.

Two lower courts have ruled that Trump exceeded his authority when he tore down the East Wing of the White House in a matter of days last fall and immediately began construction on the ballroom without the approval of Congress. But he has been allowed to keep building while his administration pursued appeals.

Write to James Romoser at james.romoser@wsj.com and Lydia Wheeler at lydia.wheeler@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 21, 2026 14:14 ET (18:14 GMT)