The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to keep construction of the proposed White House ballroom moving before an injunction halting most above-ground work takes effect Aug. 21. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the ballroom is inseparable from a broader military-security complex, including anti-drone and safe-room capabilities, while the administration says the project is about 65% complete. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued after the East Wing was demolished in 2025, and a divided D.C. Circuit ruled that Congress must authorize the ballroom. The administration says the concrete-and-steel structure is beyond the point of return; earlier filings described the project as 90,000 square feet, while the latest Supreme Court filing puts it at nearly 50,000 square feet and 70 feet above ground.