{"id":2646047,"date":"2026-08-17T13:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T17:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaigndoj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T13:03:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T17:03:25","slug":"utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaigndoj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaigndoj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ Asks SCOTUS To End Block On WH Ballroom Construction"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Futm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaigndoj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2646047&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Trump Justice Department appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to lift a preliminary injunction that halted construction of the new White House ballroom, which was issued by Judge Richard Leon earlier this year due to a lack of congressional approval. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >injunction exempts essential safety measures<\/a> but has been criticized as overreach by lower courts. The DOJ argues that the project is vital for national security, citing recent threats against President Trump and emphasizing that the injunction improperly gives one judge too much authority over security decisions. They also contest the legal basis of the ruling, highlighting dissenting opinions that question the standing of opponents and the security significance of the construction. Chief Justice Roberts has ordered a response from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The case underscores ongoing judicial and political disputes over presidential security and presidential property developments.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:2026-07-10_construction_at_the_White_House_Washington_DC_11-41-59_1.jpg\">G. Edward Johnson\/Wikimedia Commons\/<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/deed.en\">CC BY 4.0<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/08\/17\/doj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=DOJ Asks SCOTUS To End Blockade On White House Ballroom Construction&#038;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/08\/17\/doj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=DOJ Asks SCOTUS To End Blockade On White House Ballroom Construction&#038;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/08\/17\/doj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/08\/17\/doj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=DOJ Asks SCOTUS To End Blockade On White House Ballroom Construction&#038;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/08\/17\/doj-asks-scotus-to-end-blockade-on-white-house-ballroom-construction\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\">                     <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); pfTrackEvent(&#039;DOJ Asks SCOTUS To End Blockade On White House Ballroom Construction&#039;); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &#038; Email\">                     <span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span>                     <\/a>                 <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"pf-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump Justice Department asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to lift a lower court blockade on construction of the new White House ballroom. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/DocketPDF\/26\/26A203\/419029\/20260813211858520_August%20Ballroom%20Application%20-%20FINAL.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">emergency application for stay<\/a>, the Trump administration requested the high court to temporarily pause a preliminary injunction by D.C. District Senior Judge Richard Leon. Issued by the Bush 43 appointee earlier this year, the order <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/white-house\/judge-halts-construction-trumps-white-house-ballroom-allows-work-under-rcna332202\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">barred<\/a> the White House from undertaking above-ground construction on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/08\/14\/us\/politics\/trump-ballroom-white-house-supreme-court.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">privately-funded project<\/a> because he said it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/trump-administration\/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-demolition-white-house-trumps-ballroo-rcna266095\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lacked<\/a> congressional approval.<\/p>\n<div id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1510113552\" class=\"d-flex justify-content-center fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 fdrlst__b89e9-entity-placement\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The injunction included an exception for \u201cactions strictly necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House and its grounds,\u201d such as the underground bunker portion of the development. It is one in a <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/judicial-coup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">series<\/a> of overreaching edicts issued by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/if-scotus-ignores-the-constitution-trump-should-ignore-scotus\/\" title=\"If SCOTUS Ignores The Constitution, Trump Should Ignore SCOTUS\">activist lower court judges<\/a> against the administration. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A three-judge panel for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trump-white-house-ballroom-ruling-jeopardizes-lives-future-presidents-vows-supreme-court-appeal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rejected<\/a> (2-1) the administration\u2019s request to lift Leon\u2019s blockade earlier this month. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In its application to SCOTUS, the Justice Department characterized Leon\u2019s injunction as \u201cextraordinary and unlawful,\u201d and argued that the project (\u201cintegrated military complex\u201d) \u201cis vitally required by national security.\u201d The agency further contended that, if permitted to take effect, the Bush appointee\u2019s injunction \u201cwould wrongfully install a single district judge as sole arbiter of what further construction is \u2018strictly necessary\u2019 to protect the safety of the President, his family, staff members, and visitors to the White House, including foreign dignitaries, and presidents and prime ministers of other countries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPresident Trump has been the target of a growing number of recent assassination attempts, including a heavily armed assassin who breached the security perimeter of the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner; a gunman who opened fire at the west entrance of the White House complex; a conspiracy to deploy drones armed with explosives at the UFC Freedom 250 event; the threat of a missile attack against Air Force One on July 8; a sniper caught in the act by the Secret Service at Trump International Golf Club, Palm Beach County, Florida; and a sniper\u2019s bullet that struck the President\u2019s ear in Butler, Pennsylvania,\u201d the filing reads. \u201cThe updated East Wing complex is absolutely required and should not be enjoined.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ went on to highlight several \u201cglaring\u201d legal errors with Leon\u2019s injunction and the D.C. Circuit majority\u2019s analysis of the case. The agency notably cited D.C. Circuit Judge Neomi Rao\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/documents\/d63cccba-4384-448c-9859-afe5f9f5b3c3.pdf?itid=lk_inline_manual_2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dissent<\/a> in the matter, in which she found that the district court \u201cabuse[d]\u201d its discretion because the challenger (the National Trust for Historic Preservation) \u201chas no standing to stop construction at the White House.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[T]he balance of equities [also] overwhelmingly favors the government,\u201d Rao wrote. \u201cThe district court elevated the aesthetic displeasure of a single passerby over the government\u2019s security interests in the ballroom and the security risks of leaving an open construction site at the President\u2019s home and office. These errors in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-must-get-congresss-approval-for-white-house-ballroom-dc-court-rules\/\" title=\"Trump must get Congress\u2019s approval for ..., DC court rules\">equitable judgment require vacating<\/a> the injunction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chief Justice John Roberts, who oversees applications from the D.C. Circuit, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/docket\/docketfiles\/html\/public\/26a203.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">instructed<\/a> the National Trust for Historic Preservation to file a response to the government\u2019s application by noon ET on Tuesday. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Shawn Fleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShawnFleetwood\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@ShawnFleetwood<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/shawnfleetwood\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags no-print bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/ballroom\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">ballroom<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/emergency-docket\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">emergency docket<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/injunctions\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">injunctions<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/judicial-coup\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">judicial coup<\/a><\/li>\n<li 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block<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2646048,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/White-House.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5919,38298,84284,4901,32127],"class_list":["post-2646047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-construction","tag-federal-court","tag-federal-litigation","tag-justice","tag-white-house"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/White-House.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2646047"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2646051,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646047\/revisions\/2646051"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2646048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2646047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2646047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2646047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}