The approximately $400 million, 90,000-square-foot project is being built on the site of the White House East Wing, which Trump ordered demolished in 2025. A federal district judge previously ruled that the administration exceeded its authority by proceeding without congressional approval, and a divided appeals court upheld that decision earlier this month. The lower-court order was scheduled to take effect Friday, but Roberts’ action temporarily blocked it, allowing construction to proceed while the Supreme Court considers the administration’s request.

The legal dispute centers on the president’s authority to make major changes to federal property without congressional authorization. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the lawsuit, argues that federal law requires congressional approval for the construction of a new federal building on public property in Washington. The Trump administration maintains that existing authority governing the care, maintenance and improvement of the White House permits the project and has argued that the planned facility includes security and military-related features that make it important to national security.