JUST IN; Supreme Court rules Donald Trump’s White House East Wing demolition illegal, orders immediate rebuild
Supreme Court Claim on White House East Wing Demolition Is Unfounded; Lega
*WASHINGTON, D.C. —** Claims circulating online that the **U.S. Supreme Court** has ruled President Donald Trump’s demolition of the White House’s historic East Wing illegal and ordered it rebuilt *are not supported by any court filings or major news reporting*. There is **no record of the Supreme Court taking up or deciding such a case
Instead, the controversy centers on a **federal lawsuit** filed in December 2025 by the *National Trust for Historic Preservation*, a nonprofit charged by Congress with protecting historically significant sites. The group alleges that Trump’s administration **violated federal planning and preservation laws** by demolishing the East Wing — built in the early 20th century — without required approvals from oversight panels such as the **National Capital Planning Commission** and without formal authorization from Congress
Construction crews began removing the century-old East Wing in October 2025 to make way for a privately funded **90,000-square-foot ballroom**, a project the White House says will host official events and state functions. The White House has defended the action, asserting the president has authority to modernize the building, a claim that critics dispute.
In hearings before **U.S. District Judge Richard Leon** in Washington, D.C., the government’s representatives have argued that the planned construction, funded by private donations, does not require the same approvals that typically accompany federal building projects. The Department of Justice even described aspects of the work as related to “national security,” although details were not publicly elaborated.
Judge Leon has expressed **skepticism about the legal basis** for the demolition and construction without congressional authorization or the standard procedural reviews, but he has *not* yet issued a decision halting the project or declared the demolition unlawful. A ruling on whether to grant a preliminary injunction — which could pause construction — was expected in February 2026.
Legal experts note that any decision by a district court can be appealed through the federal courts, and only then might issues related to executive authority or statutory requirements reach the Supreme Court — but no such appeal has been decided by the high court to date.
l Battle Continues in Lower Courts