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Get right out of town

August 31, 2026 11:31pm EDT / Fox News

Congress has little left on its agenda after the Senate approved a bill to avert a government shutdown through December

By Chad Pergram Fox News

Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on the House returning to session as lawmakers face a looming government shutdown deadline and a vote on a resolution targeting socialist policies on ‘Special Report.’

The House of Representatives is back in town after not voting since July 23.

But the House is only back for less than a week. And the Senate doesn’t even return until Monday, September 14.

The first day of school, this is not.

House members descending on the Capitol this week – then abandoning Washington for Labor Day is kind of like the third and final preseason game in the NFL.

THE WILL OF 100: TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT SIDELINED AFTER SENATE UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO AUGUST EXIT

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, left, and President Donald Trump shake hands in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington.(Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Lots of fans show up for the first game of the NFL preseason. It’s usually a nice – if sweltering – August night. Not some bone-shivering chill in Cleveland with a foot of snow on the ground in mid-December. There’s anticipation. The first look at the new team. The first tailgate. First-string players and highly touted draft picks even play a series or two.

But by the third preseason game, few want to be there.

The die is cast for the roster spots. Players are cut. Even the most robust fans only show up for a quarter or two.

In the NFL, everyone is waiting for the regular season to begin in a few weeks.

That’s kind of where things are now in the House. Congress has tackled most of its business for the year. The highly-touted GOP “Reconciliation 3.0” likely falls by the wayside. Lawmakers even tucked into bed the usual autumn drama surrounding a possible government shutdown. The chances of a repeat following last year’s 43-day shutdown saga dissipated in early August when the Senate approved an interim, bipartisan bill which will fund the government through December 11. The House votes on that bill Tuesday.

Everyone on Capitol Hill is now waiting for the regular season to begin. That’s what awaits the body politic following the midterm elections in November.

And most members don’t even want to linger in Washington right now. As fast as they came to Washington, they wanted to skate out of town to campaign. That’s why attendance might be sparse over the next few days.

The House had 384 members present for one non-controversial measure Monday night. A second vote recorded 388 members present. Those attendance figures could slide if the House returns to Washington in mid-September – as the schedule dictates. Especially among those who either lost their primaries or are retiring. In fact, Fox is told that some members in both camps have even considered resigning early.

Imagine what that could do to the narrow Republican majority.

TRUMP DEMAND PUTS VULNERABLE REPUBLICANS IN IMPOSSIBLE SPOT AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

House Speaker Mike Johnson pauses for questions from reporters as he arrives for a closed-door Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol in Washington.(J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

So, will the House stick it out this week, go home and come back in a few weeks?

“Are we going to be here the entire period?” yours truly asked House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “We’re going to be here this week and then we’re going to come back in a couple weeks?”

“Well, it’s on the schedule,” Johnson replied.

That’s a schedule which the House Republican leadership etched out last December – on the heels of that epic government shutdown.

Who could have anticipated that government funding could work out so easily this time around.

So what’s on the agenda?

Republicans plan a vote on a resolution to get Democrats on the record of either supporting socialism or democracy. In other words, the GOP wants Democrats to put their voting cards where their policies are.

“They want to abolish things like the U.S. Supreme Court. The United States Senate,” said Rep. Jeff Crank R-Colo.

Republicans hope to compel Democrats to either accept or reject progressive, left-wing ideologies.

“We need to see where Democrats stand on this because the American people are rejecting it,” said Rep. Tom Tiffany R-Wis., on Fox.

“They’re going to try to distance themselves as much as they can,” said Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla. “But the fact is that’s where the Democratic Party is going. That’s where the energy of the Democratic Party is going.”

This is what’s described in Congress as a “gotcha” vote. Republicans will dare Democrats to vote no. And if they do, the GOP will deploy that vote against vulnerable Democrats in campaign ads this fall.

Some Democrats could vote to reject any relationship with socialism. In fact, the vote could give those Democrats a gift to say they’re opposed to socialists in the Democratic Party. But Republicans ensconced a measure in the resolution which could oblige Democrats to vote no.

The measure includes the SAVE America Act. That’s the hallmark of the GOP’s agenda. It requires proof of citizenship for voting. Most Democrats view the SAVE America Act as a poison pill. So Democrats could vote nay. And some Republicans will still say “gotcha” if they oppose it.

“The resolution elevates the so-called Save America Act, which is just the ‘suppress the vote act,’ said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries D-N.Y. “I’m not clear how many Democrats are actually going to support a resolution whose focus is on trying to rig the midterm election by elevating this voter suppression legislation that Donald Trump has been trying to jam down the throats of the American people for the last year.”

The House could also wrestle with a resolution to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C. He admitted to inappropriate conduct around female aides and dropped his reelection bid. There could be an effort to expel Rep. Cory Mills R-Fla. He faces allegations of financial misconduct and alleged assault of a woman at his apartment last year. But Mills lost his primary.

Then there is Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio. The Ohio Republican faces allegations of spousal and child abuse. Republicans implored Miller to drop his reelection bid. But Miller doubled down, saying the allegations are false.

Representative Hakeem Jeffries during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.(Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Johnson says he supports Miller’s “reelection.” He contends the House shouldn’t take action until the Ethics Committee completes its inquiry.

“He has been a great Member of Congress,” said Johnson of Miller. “He has some personal issues he’s still working through.”

But it’s possible Democrats – and even some Republicans – could engineer a special resolution to expel or otherwise punish Miller. Johnson and the GOP leadership want nothing to do with that. So the solution? Get lawmakers off Capitol Hill and back into their districts. Fast.

Yes, it’s unclear what the Senate may address when it returns in a few weeks. But House Republicans are more concerned with clinging to their narrow majority in November. So recessing until after the election could prove to be the safest political tactic for Republicans.

Don’t be surprised if the House leaves Washington until November in the next few days.

Think it’s not possible? Get right out of town.

Chad Pergram currently serves as Chief Congressional Correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.

美国10年期国债收益率升至2025年1月以来高点

2026年9月1日 11:46 / 联合早报

美国联邦储备局大楼正在进行大规模翻修，工程主要聚焦基础设施、结构安全和现代化升级。 （法新社）

受国际油价走高、市场预期美国联邦储备局将加息抑制通胀等因素推动，美国10年期国债收益率星期一（8月31日）明显走高，升至2025年1月以来高点。

新华社报道，数据显示，美国10年期国债收益率周一上涨3.9个基点，收报4.756%，为2025年1月15日以来最高水平；美国30年期国债收益率上涨3.7个基点，收报于5.244%。

美国30年期国债收益率8月17日达5.31%，创2007年6月以来新高。外界认为，这促使美国财政部近日扩大了长期国债回购规模。

美国联邦政府债务总额8月首次突破40万亿美元（约51万亿新元），本财年利息支出预计接近1.2万亿美元。债务规模不断扩大，而高利率又推高偿债成本，美国财政正面临越来越沉重的融资压力。

美国10年期国债收益率升至2025年1月以来高点

2026年9月1日 11:46 / 联合早报

美国联邦储备局大楼正在进行大规模翻修，工程主要聚焦基础设施、结构安全和现代化升级。 （法新社）

受国际油价走高、市场预期美国联邦储备局将加息抑制通胀等因素推动，美国10年期国债收益率星期一（8月31日）明显走高，升至2025年1月以来高点。

新华社报道，数据显示，美国10年期国债收益率周一上涨3.9个基点，收报4.756%，为2025年1月15日以来最高水平；美国30年期国债收益率上涨3.7个基点，收报于5.244%。

美国30年期国债收益率8月17日达5.31%，创2007年6月以来新高。外界认为，这促使美国财政部近日扩大了长期国债回购规模。

美国联邦政府债务总额8月首次突破40万亿美元（约51万亿新元），本财年利息支出预计接近1.2万亿美元。债务规模不断扩大，而高利率又推高偿债成本，美国财政正面临越来越沉重的融资压力。

俄军连续第六天空袭基辅 至少四死逾10伤

2026年9月1日 11:52 / 联合早报

俄军星期一（8月31日）向乌克兰基辅地区发动空袭，当地消防人员正在一个遇袭起火的仓库灭火。 （法新社）

俄罗斯星期二（9月1日）持续空袭乌克兰首都基辅及周边地区，造成至少四人死亡、逾10人受伤。这也是基辅及周边地区连续第六天遭到俄军袭击。

路透社报道，基辅市政府说，市内有三人死亡、五人受伤，一处非住宅区发生火灾。

乌克兰基辅州行政首长特卡琴科称，鲍里斯皮尔市另有一人死亡、九人受伤，包括一名儿童；当地一座公寓楼及一处商业设施遭导弹和无人机袭击。

星期二凌晨，乌克兰大部分地区拉响防空警报。连日袭击已影响数百万人的日常生活。

乌克兰总统泽连斯基星期一（8月31日）说，他与美国总统特使威特科夫和特朗普的女婿库什纳通电话，双方正敲定两人访问乌克兰的日期，以推动和平进程。

与此同时，俄罗斯首都莫斯科市长索比亚宁说，俄军击落十多架飞往莫斯科方向的无人机。俄罗斯萨马拉州也遭空袭，当地民用设施受损。

俄军连续第六天空袭基辅 至少四死逾10伤

2026年9月1日 11:52 / 联合早报

俄军星期一（8月31日）向乌克兰基辅地区发动空袭，当地消防人员正在一个遇袭起火的仓库灭火。 （法新社）

俄罗斯星期二（9月1日）持续空袭乌克兰首都基辅及周边地区，造成至少四人死亡、逾10人受伤。这也是基辅及周边地区连续第六天遭到俄军袭击。

路透社报道，基辅市政府说，市内有三人死亡、五人受伤，一处非住宅区发生火灾。

乌克兰基辅州行政首长特卡琴科称，鲍里斯皮尔市另有一人死亡、九人受伤，包括一名儿童；当地一座公寓楼及一处商业设施遭导弹和无人机袭击。

星期二凌晨，乌克兰大部分地区拉响防空警报。连日袭击已影响数百万人的日常生活。

乌克兰总统泽连斯基星期一（8月31日）说，他与美国总统特使威特科夫和特朗普的女婿库什纳通电话，双方正敲定两人访问乌克兰的日期，以推动和平进程。

与此同时，俄罗斯首都莫斯科市长索比亚宁说，俄军击落十多架飞往莫斯科方向的无人机。俄罗斯萨马拉州也遭空袭，当地民用设施受损。

White House says deal to take control of Venezuelan oil will rely on North American Blue Energy Partners

2026-08-31T23:15:39-0400 / CBS News

The Trump administration’s plan to take a stake in tens of billions of barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves will hinge on a private company called North American Blue Energy Partners, the White House announced Monday, offering more details on the agreement.

Under the deal, the Venezuelan government granted 100-year concessions to NABEP to drill in 17 oil fields, the White House said in a fact sheet released late Monday. Those oil fields contain about 65 billion barrels, roughly one-fifth of Venezuela’s total proven oil reserves.

The U.S. Defense Department will be granted a 35% stake in the company, according to the White House. The State Department will then have the right to buy 20% of NABEP’s output at the cost of production, and it will have the right of first refusal to buy everything else.

Run by Venezuelan executive Alejandro Betancourt, NABEP describes itself as Venezuela’s second-largest private oil producer, pumping more than 200,000 barrels of oil per day.

In a statement confirming the structure of the deal, NABEP said it is aiming to increase daily production in the near-term to over 1 million barrels. (By comparison, the U.S. consumed about 20.6 million barrels of petroleum daily last year, according to government figures.)

“Venezuela is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, hardworking people and untapped potential,” Betancourt said in a statement thanking President Trump and interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez. “This transaction will unleash that potential to the great benefit of both Venezuelans and Americans.”

Rodriguez said in a speech over the weekend the ultimate goal is to produce more than 1.5 million barrels per day. She described it as a 25-year deal.

The White House said NABEP has “developed an ambitious plan to rapidly scale production by investing up to $100 billion in new oil infrastructure in Venezuela.” It also said the deal will be executed at “no cost to the American taxpayer.”

Mr. Trump has argued the deal will bring more oil to the U.S. market, pushing down energy prices and allowing the government to replenish its Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Since the U.S. military removed former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power in January, Mr. Trump has sought to ramp up oil production in Venezuela, which claims to have the world’s largest oil reserves but has languished for years due to underinvestment.

“This deal secures our energy dominance for the next century—all at zero cost to the United States,” the White House said.

Rodriguez has celebrated the deal, calling it a “historic agreement” that will bring scores of private investment to Venezuela’s oil industry and draw hundreds of billions in tax revenue. She has said that Venezuela will retain control over its natural resources.

Some oil industry experts are skeptical that the deal will lead to lower prices at the pump any time soon. It could take years — or more than a decade — for new Venezuelan oil production to start reaching the U.S. market and impacting prices, according to analysts.

The country’s energy infrastructure needs to be rebuilt, and Venezuelan oil tends to be “heavy” (or dense) and “sour” (or high in sulfur), making it harder to refine than the light, sweet crude often found in the United States.

The deal has also drawn pushback from both American and Venezuelan political figures. Some Rodriguez opponents have called it an “asset grab” and questioned the legal basis for handing the U.S. government a stake in a large share of the South American country’s oil reserves.

Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the plan to give the Pentagon a stake in the Venezuelan oil venture “a blatant abuse of power and taxpayer dollars.”

“President Trump has been explicit about his desire to extract Venezuela’s oil,” Reed said in a statement. “His administration removed Nicolás Maduro from power, threw its weight behind the unelected leadership that replaced Maduro, and is now attempting to use U.S. military assets and taxpayer-backed financing to boost a private oil venture.”

What to know about new U.S. oil deal with Venezuela https://www.cbsnews.com/video/what-to-know-about-new-us-oil-deal-with-venezuela/

What to know about new U.S. oil deal with Venezuela

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New York cannot enforce $75 billion climate ‘superfund’ law, US judge rules

2026-08-31 21:33:30 / Reuters

By Nate Raymond and Jonathan Stempel

August 31, 2026 9:33 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

Rain clouds over the New York City skyline of Manhattan and the Hudson River as heavy storms impacted the northeast U.S., as seen from Fort Lee, New Jersey, August 3, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Segar Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

Summary

• Ruling prevents New York from enforcing climate change law targeting fossil fuel companies
• Judge says Clean Air Act does not authorize state emissions compensation schemes
• Law applies to companies linked ​to 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions

NEW YORK, Aug 31 (Reuters) – A federal judge ‌ruled on Monday that New York cannot enforce a 2024 state law that sought to force fossil fuel companies to contribute $75 billion over 25 years into a fund to pay for damage caused by climate change.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes in Syracuse, New York sided, opens new tab with 22 Republican ​state attorneys general, as well as industry groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in finding the state ​measure preempted by federal law.

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Sannes, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, said the Clean Air ⁠Act, which gave the federal Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate carbon-dioxide emissions, did not authorize states to adopt emissions ​compensation schemes such as New York’s.

She said enforcing New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act risked upsetting the balance between preventing global ​warming, “a project that necessarily requires national standards and global participation,” and promoting economic growth, energy production, foreign policy interests and national security.

“The Climate Act conflicts with the overriding need for a uniform rule of decision on matters influencing national energy and environmental policy, and basic interests of ​federalism,” she wrote.

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West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, a Republican who led the states’ opposition, in a statement hailed the ​decision, calling the state law “a money grab by the elites in New York.”

The office of New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who signed ‌the state ⁠law in December 2024, is reviewing the decision to determine possible next steps, spokesperson Ken Lovett said.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for damages caused by polluters,” Lovett said.

New York was the second U.S. state to create an industry-financed “superfund” to address climate change. Vermont was the first state, and its law also faces legal challenges.

The New York law required fossil fuel companies ​to contribute $3 billion annually to ​the superfund starting in 2028, ⁠divided based on their greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2018.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/new-york-cannot-enforce-75-billion-climate-superfund-law-us-judge-rules-2026-08-31/

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The law applied to companies that the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation considered responsible for 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas ​emissions during that period. Money would have gone to build roads, water systems, sewage systems ​and other infrastructure ⁠to protect communities and coastlines from weather events such as extreme heat and flooding.

In their February 2025 lawsuit, the Republican attorneys general called New York’s law a politically motivated “overreach,” which punished traditional energy companies that now comply with applicable laws. They said payouts from ⁠coal, oil ​and natural gas producers could wipe out thousands of jobs if the ​producers were forced to shut down.

The U.S. Department of Justice under Republican President Donald Trump had filed a similar lawsuit last year and supported the state attorneys ​general in the case before Sannes.

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Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Trump’s Canada tariff fight reaches critical point as House GOP summons trade chief

August 31, 2026 4:13pm EDT / Fox News

Two sources say they expect lawmakers to raise Trump’s trade war with Canada during the weekly RSC lunch

By Elizabeth Elkind Fox News

A trade dispute intensifies as President Trump renames Lake Ontario to Lake America by executive order.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s top trade advisor will huddle with House Republicans on Wednesday as the commander in chief’s tariff strategy is quickly becoming a flashpoint on the campaign trail.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is attending the Republican Study Committee’s weekly lunch this week, a source familiar with planning told Fox News Digital.

Two additional sources told Fox News Digital they expect lawmakers to raise the issue of Trump’s trade war with Canada.

VANCE SAYS CANADA FRIENDLIER TO CHINA ON TRADE THAN TO US: ‘INSANITY’

President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office at the White House on May 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

It comes as tensions escalate between the U.S. and its northern ally.

Trump accused Ontario of ripping off American businesses in a post on Truth Social Sunday, claiming Canada wants “to be treated like a state, but they aren’t one.”

‘CAPTAIN CANADA’ FIREBRAND UNLOADS ON TRUMP WITH PROFANE ONE-LINER AS TRADE WAR ESCALATES

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on April 8, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

“They’ve been ripping us off for decades, and it’s going to stop,” Trump wrote.

The U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on a range of Canadian goods in late July, with the duties going into effect earlier this month. Canada responded with its own tariffs of up to 50% on U.S. imports.

TRUMP JUST EXPANDED HIS TARIFF PLAYBOOK WITH A POWERFUL TRADE WEAPON NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER USED

Trump also escalated tensions with the country this month by signing an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”

It’s not clear when the meeting between Greer and RSC was planned, nor is it clear if Fox News Digital’s sources expect questions or outright opposition to the trade war.

President Donald Trump signs an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” during an event in the Oval Office of the White House on Aug. 27, 2026, amid an ongoing trade war with Canada.(Getty Images)

But Trump’s tariffs have been a political lightning rod for much of his second term.

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The House passed a bill in February aimed at reversing Trump’s earlier Canada tariffs, with six Republicans voting in support. Just one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted against it.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com

‘No plans’ to deploy troops to midterm elections polling sites, top US general says

2026-08-31T21:16:37.34Z / Reuters

By Idrees Ali and Jasper Ward

August 31, 2026 9:16 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

Voting stations sit at a polling station during a Republican primary runoff between U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-SC) and U.S. Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC) for the U.S. Senate seat, in Cayce, Lexington County, South Carolina, U.S., August 25, 2026. REUTERS/Sam Wolfe/File Photo

WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) – The top U.S. general said the military has no plans to send federal military personnel ​or National Guard troops to polling places during this year’s ‌midterm elections.

In a letter to U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said election administration ​and security remain the responsibility of state and local officials.

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Caine’s letter, ​which was obtained by Reuters, was sent in response ⁠to a request from Slotkin, who had sought assurances from senior ​military leaders, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, that the Trump administration would ​not interfere in the November elections.

While stressing that no such deployment is planned, Caine said the military has no plans to seize ballots, voting machines or other ​election-related material.

“I have neither received nor anticipate receiving any unlawful order ​concerning the role of the Joint Force in the upcoming November 2026 midterm elections,” ‌Caine ⁠wrote.

The letter was received August 28, according to an official.

Millions of Americans are due to vote on November 3 in congressional, gubernatorial and local elections.

Democrats, including Slotkin, have raised concerns that the Trump administration could ​seek to use ​troops or other ⁠armed federal personnel near polling places.

Those concerns were fueled in part by comments Trump made in May ​when, asked whether he would send National Guard troops ​or Immigration ⁠and Customs Enforcement agents to voting locations, he said he would “do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections.”

Federal law generally prohibits the ⁠deployment ​of U.S. troops at polling places or ​their use in overseeing elections, reflecting long-standing restrictions on military involvement in the electoral process.

blob:https://www.reuters.com/d13c37dd-e1db-46d7-9951-fdd488e20fc5

Reporting ​by Idrees Ali and Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Caitlin Webber

Trump’s White House ballroom construction gets another lifeline from SCOTUS amid heated legal fight

Chief Justice John Roberts dissented, calling the privately funded East Wing project ‘likely unlawful’

2026-08-31T16:26:35-04:00 / Fox News

By Stepheny Price , Bill Mears, Fox News

Published August 31, 2026 4:26pm EDT | Updated August 31, 2026 5:21pm EDT

Trump continues ballroom construction after Supreme Court win

Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson joins ‘Fox News Sunday’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s continuation of ballroom construction after the Supreme Court’s temporary order. Tomlinson also discusses the Freedom 250 Grand Prix race in Washington, D.C., and the president’s economic campaign against the Iranian regime.

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3 min

The Supreme Court has again sided with the Trump administration, allowing construction on the White House ballroom project to continue while the case continues to be litigated in the lower courts.

The court split 5-4 in granting the emergency request. The decision replaces a temporary order Chief Justice John Roberts issued just hours before a lower-court ruling blocking the work was set to take effect. The underlying litigation will continue in the lower courts, but court documents indicate key parts of the project could be completed within months, potentially outpacing the legal process.

Trump quickly celebrated the decision, declaring that the high court had cleared the way for the massive project to move forward “without any further contingency, doubt, or threat.”

“We are living in the Golden Age of America, and this Building will be one of the Greatest ever constructed in Washington, D.C.,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM FOES FACE ‘VERY TOUGH ARGUMENT’ AT SUPREME COURT, LEGAL EXPERTS SAY

A view of ongoing construction of the East Wing ballroom at the White House, as seen from the Washington Monument observation deck in Washington, DC on August 28, 2026.(Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty Images)

Trump said the “magnificent Ballroom and Military Complex” is expected to be completed in summer 2028 and predicted it will be “something that the entire Country is very proud of.”

He also took a swipe at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, blasting its legal challenge as a “baseless lawsuit” and claiming the project is both under budget and ahead of schedule.

“The Ballroom is totally funded by Great Patriots and Corporations and, therefore, is a Gift — At no cost to the American Taxpayer,” Trump wrote.

The president’s victory lap came as Chief Justice John Roberts issued a strongly worded dissent from the latest order, declaring that construction of the ballroom is “likely unlawful” and warning that allowing the project to proceed risks infringing on Congress’ constitutional powers.

“The President ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new, privately funded state ballroom in its place,” Roberts wrote. “Construction of the ballroom has proceeded apace for the better part of a year.”

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“That construction is likely unlawful,” he wrote.

Roberts pointed to federal law that prohibits the construction of any “building or structure” on federal government parkland in Washington, D.C., without express authorization from Congress.

The chief justice argued that the ballroom falls squarely within that restriction because it is being built on President’s Park, federal land that encompasses the White House and surrounding grounds.

“The ballroom is a building or structure being erected on federal park grounds—President’s Park—in the District of Columbia,” Roberts wrote. “Yet Congress has not passed any law resembling ‘express authority’ for the Executive’s construction of it.”

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Construction on the new White House ballroom is seen from the Washington Monument, Monday, April 20, 2026, in Washington.(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

The Supreme Court’s decision allows construction to continue while the underlying legal challenge plays out, but it does not settle the ultimate question of whether the ballroom project is lawful.

The case remains in litigation in the lower courts, meaning Roberts’ assertion that the construction is “likely unlawful” represents his view in dissent rather than a final determination by the Supreme Court.

DOJ CITES WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING IN PUSH TO DROP LAWSUIT AGAINST BALLROOM

Heavy machinery tears down a section of the East Wing of the White House as construction begins on President Donald Trump’s planned ballroom on October 22, 2025.(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Roberts also took issue with the court’s treatment of Alison Hoagland, who originally challenged the project, arguing that both the historic nature of the White House and her interest in its preservation deserved greater weight.

“The White House is not just any building, and—when it comes to historic preservation—Hoagland is not just any person,” Roberts wrote.

REPUBLICANS QUESTION TRUMP’S ‘PRIVATELY FUNDED’ BALLROOM AFTER REPORT POINTS TO TAXPAYER BURDEN

An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on Oct. 23, 2025 in Washington, D.C.(Eric Lee/Getty Images)

“In failing to appreciate as much, the Court misconceives the plaintiff’s injury, allowing the Executive’s likely infringement of the Legislature’s power of the purse and authority to regulate federal property in the District of Columbia to continue,” he wrote.

“Today’s decision is no victory for the separation of powers.”

Roberts closed his dissent by invoking former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and issuing a pointed warning about how decisions involving the White House are made.

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“Winston Churchill once remarked that ‘[w]e shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us,’” Roberts wrote.

“All the more reason to ensure that those responsible follow the rules in deciding what to tear down and what to build up at the People’s House.”

“I respectfully dissent,” he wrote.

In addition to Roberts, Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson also dissented.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price is a Writer at Fox News with a focus on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.