The National Trust has released the following statement in response to the government's emergency application to the Supreme Court this morning:

"Each court reviewing this case has ruled that construction of the Ballroom is unlawful. Each court has seriously and carefully considered the Administration’s asserted national security concerns. And each court has ruled that while underground bunker construction can continue, Ballroom construction must stop.

The Administration has not only refused to listen, but is now actively attempting to outrun the courts by accelerating construction of the Ballroom. The Administration’s audacious Supreme Court filing today announced it would be installing another one million pounds of rebar and pouring another 3,000 cubic yards of concrete in just the next week alone, before the Appeals Court’s stay of the injunction expires next Friday.

The Administration brazenly asserted to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals that even if Ballroom construction were unlawful, not even the Supreme Court had authority to stop it. The Administration’s transparent efforts to evade the rule of law, frustrate judicial review, and limit the availability of meaningful relief in the courts must stop here. The Supreme Court should deny the Administration’s demand that it be allowed to continue Ballroom construction while it appeals."

Resources

• Opinion: U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, August 7, 2026 (PDF)
• See more resources related to the White House Construction Project