Trump asks Supreme Court to let him build $400mn ballroom citing security threats

US President Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to allow construction of his $400 million White House ballroom, arguing the project is necessary for presidential security.

The emergency request filed Friday comes after lower courts ruled Trump must obtain congressional approval before continuing above-ground construction at the former East Wing site.

US Solicitor General John Sauer argued that the project was “absolutely required” for Trump's safety, pointing to assassination attempts against the president in recent years.

“The President of the United States of America is not a tenant, but rather the sole, elected head of the Executive Branch,” Sauer wrote, arguing Congress had authorised presidents to renovate and protect the White House.

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on August 7 that above-ground construction must stop, although work on a security bunker beneath the ballroom can continue.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court said.

The planned ballroom will cover about 89,000 square feet, considerably larger than the 55,000-square-foot Executive Mansion.

The administration also argued that leaving the partially completed structure unfinished could create security and structural risks.

Trump has said the ballroom is expected to be completed by summer 2028.