Is construction work continuing on Trump’s ballroom?

1. What “construction” means here — demolition, foundations, and above‑ground work

Reporting distinguishes phases: crews demolished the historic East Wing last autumn and have been performing site‑preparation and below‑ground work since, with filings saying foundation work was set to begin in January and that above‑ground construction was not expected to begin until April 2026 at the earliest ^{[4] [3]}. Photographs and contemporaneous reporting show active work lines and construction vehicles on the site in December and January, a fact noted by Reuters and PBS during commission meetings and public briefings ^{[1] [5]}. Multiple outlets therefore use “construction continues” to mean earthmoving, demolition and foundational activity rather than completion of any above‑ground ballroom shell ^{[2] [3]}.

2. Court fights and the effect on on‑the‑ground activity

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued in December seeking to halt the project until federal reviews and public comment were completed, and a judge initially declined a temporary restraining order while signaling skepticism about the administration’s legal claims ^{[5] [6]}. A later hearing left some limits in place: a federal judge denied an emergency pause but at least one ruling limited below‑ground work that would predetermine the final above‑ground footprint, meaning certain subterranean activities were constrained even as some site work continued ^{[7] [1]}. News outlets report that the litigation remains active and could yield an injunction at future hearings, which would more directly halt on‑site work ^{[8] [6]}.

3. Washington agencies, commission briefings, and the timeline reported by the administration

The White House presented plans to the National Capital Planning Commission months after demolition and site work began, explaining structural problems with the East Wing and asserting operational and national‑security rationales for continuing work; the administration’s filings repeatedly stressed that above‑ground construction wasn’t scheduled until spring and that some design elements remained subject to change ^{[5] [3]}. Architects and White House aides told the commission the ballroom would be roughly 22,000 square feet and that some design refinements were ongoing, underlining that planning and preparation were active even as final plans evolved ^{[4] [9]}.

4. Political messaging, private funding claims and legal positioning

President Trump has publicly framed the ballroom as effectively irreversible and a private gift, tweeting it was “too late” to stop construction and emphasizing no taxpayer funding, while Justice Department lawyers in court simultaneously argued plans could still be modified and that reviews remained in process — a tension that observers note speaks to both legal strategy and political messaging ^{[10] [11] [12]}. Preservation groups counter that required federal approvals and environmental reviews were skipped, and they say ongoing truck deliveries and concrete pours represent irreparable harm that merits an injunction ^{[1] [7]}.

5. What can and cannot be concluded from the reporting

Based on the assembled reporting, it is accurate to say construction activities — demolition, site preparation and below‑ground work — were continuing through December and January and remained visible on the site, while above‑ground building work was described by officials as not anticipated to start before April 2026; the project therefore is active but in phased progress rather than completing any visible ballroom shell ^{[2] [3]}. Public records and media photographs document site activity, court filings document constraints and legal uncertainty, and commission hearings document evolving designs, but none of the provided sources proves the final timetable or whether the court will ultimately halt further work — that remains unsettled in the reporting ^{[5] [6] [1]}.