Trump Just Made a Huge Move on the Ballroom Project

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to approve President Donald Trump's White House ballroom project after a series of legal battles. The administration's request came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit placed a block on work on the aboveground portion of the structure on August 7. U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told justices that "suspending work on the project...threatens national security and the safety of President Donald Trump, his family and executive branch staff." According to Sauer's filing, the project is currently "65% complete in its entirety, and moving quickly toward total completion." The initiative involves constructing a ballroom to host large events alongside an underground bunker that officials say is necessary for security purposes. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has challenged the project, arguing that such construction requires congressional approval. The appeals court majority stated: "We are aware of no instance in American history in which a President unilaterally...demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized." The administration maintains the more than $400 million, 90,000 square-foot facility will be funded through private donations. The Supreme Court must now decide whether to temporarily permit construction to proceed while litigation continues.