Whoa! Wait a minute. What’s The National Trust For Historic Preservation? It’s a powerful government agency with sweeping powers, established by the Constitution to preserve historic stuff, right?
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Not so much.
According to Wikipedia:
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support the preservation of America’s diverse historic buildings, neighborhoods, and heritage through its programs, resources, and advocacy.
Oh. Despite its deceptive name, it’s a non-profit with no legal authority over the Executive Branch or any branch of government. At the beginning of August, in response to a lawsuit it filed in December of 2025, a DC court of appeals ordered all construction on the ballroom at the White House to cease. nypost.com/2026/08/07/us-news/trump-ordered-by-appeals-court-to-stop-white-house-ballroom-construction/
President Trump immediately responded on Truth Social:
Graphic: Truth Social Post
The anti-America/Trump Appeals Court gave a single passerby who didn’t like the way the construction looked standing to sue. But as Trump pointed out, much of the construction is deep underground and is a major and long-needed upgrade to the function and security of the White House complex. Most of what will be visible above ground is a ballroom Presidents have desired for more than a century. That is being built with private donations. The military and national security portions of the project are taxpayer-funded.
Blocking completion of the project is nothing less than Trump Derangement Syndrome lunacy. The project is well underway. The idea that the White House can remain an unfinished construction site is ludicrous. Many of the upgrades are necessary to deal with emerging threats like drones. Holding large gatherings for visiting dignitaries and heads of state on the White House lawn in tents, serviced by port-a-potties, isn’t exactly in keeping with America’s central role in the world.
Fortunately, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has responded to Trump’s appeal to the court:
The Supreme Court on Friday at least for now allowed President Donald Trump to continue constructing a new ballroom adjoining the White House.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay that blocks lower court rulings that would have put the above-ground portion of the project on hold.
The Chief Justice’s brief reads:
Upon consideration of the application of counsel for the applicants, the response, and the reply filed thereto, it is ordered that the preliminary injunction entered on April 16, 2026, by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, case No. 1:25-cv-4316, is hereby stayed pending further order of The Chief Justice or of the Court.
Trump responded:
Graphic: Truth Social Post
Even NBC News was forced to allow a dose of reality:
In court filings, the administration has said that as of Aug. 14, construction was 65% complete on the $400 million, privately funded project, with a 250-person crew working 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
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The plan includes an extensive underground component, including secure locations and medical facilities that the administration has argued are vital for security.
“[T]he administration has argued are vital for security.” Well, yeah, because they are.
Chief Justice Roberts’ stay allows construction to proceed while the entire Supreme Court deals with the appeal. I suspect they’re going to conclude that a single busybody taking offense at the construction does not establish standing, and will also recognize that many former presidents have, without the consent of Congress or easily offended passersby, made a variety of upgrades to the White House. By the time all the legal wrangling is done, the project will be so far along as to make any legal argument moot.
President Trump, as he noted in his Truth Social post, is well known for bringing projects in under budget and ahead of schedule.
In the end, the entire project, including the ballroom, will be completed and the White House staff, which includes military and national security components, will at long last have the facilities—the White House is cramped, to say the least–and protections they have needed for so very long. President Trump and future presidents will finally have an appropriate space for formal occasions of state.
The media and TDS sufferers—I know: same people—will be incoherent with rage at images of Trump greeting foreign leaders in the ballroom, but a bit of increased blood pressure from time to time isn’t a bad thing, and Normal Americans will be pleased to see yet another Trump accomplishment for the betterment of the nation.
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Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, lifelong athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer, and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.