The administration of US President Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to allow construction of a new ballroom at the White House to continue while it appeals a lower court ruling that halted the project.

The $400m, 90,000-square-foot ballroom is being built on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing. The project is reportedly about 65 per cent complete after roughly 10 months of construction.

The legal dispute centres on whether Trump had the authority to proceed without Congressional approval. A two-to-one ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit concluded that the president could not unilaterally authorise such a major alteration to the White House complex.

Trump’s administration has argued that the project is necessary for national security, describing the ballroom as part of an integrated security and military facility. Officials have pointed to features including underground security infrastructure and protection against drone threats.

The administration also maintains that the ballroom is being funded through private donations, rather than a Congressional appropriation. However, the appeals court held that private funding does not remove the requirement for Congressional authorisation of major changes to the White House grounds.

The Supreme Court is now being asked to pause the appeals court's injunction while the Trump administration prepares its full appeal. The appeals court had temporarily delayed its ruling taking effect to give the administration time to approach the Supreme Court.

The case was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the administration’s decision to demolish the East Wing and proceed with the ballroom project.