Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
· collected 2026-08-18 · by Hugh Hewitt
analysis
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is considering an application for a stay on a lower court's order that has halted construction on the new East Wing of the White House due to concerns over its design and materials. The order was issued by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002, and upheld by the D.C. Circuit Court. The Department of Justice has asked the Chief Justice to stay the lower court's order, with a response due by August 18, 2026. The article argues that the Supreme Court should intervene and allow construction to proceed, citing presidential authority over the White House and its grounds as well as national security concerns.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Here is a summary of the story:
President Trump's White House renovations have been at the center of controversy over whether he has the authority to make significant changes to the property without congressional approval.
The issue revolves around the construction of a new East Wing, which includes a $400m ballroom and underground military facility, and a multimillion-dollar granite helipad on the South Lawn.
A federal district court judge initially blocked the project, but was overruled by the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, allowing Trump to continue construction.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has argued that a President cannot unilaterally make major changes to federally owned property without congressional approval, citing the Property Clause of the Constitution.
Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily stayed the lower court's injunction, giving the full Supreme Court more time to consider the issue.
The ruling allows construction on the above-ground portion of the project to continue for now, but does not set a timeline for when the Supreme Court might take further action.
Written for “White House Construction Dispute” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
Because of extremely unfortunate, inexplicable and reckless decisions of two lower courts, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has before him an application for a stay of an order from the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit which order upholds the imposition of a rococo construction schedule for the above-ground construction of new East Wing of the White House, one which was ordered by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon’s micromanagement of what can and cannot be built in the replacement structure of the now demolished old East Wing of The White House —an East Wing which was built in 1902 and expanded in 1942 when FDR had it substantially expanded and added underground facilities which include the Presidential Emergency Operations Center.
asserted
which → have → Center
Judge Leon and the Circuit have directed President Trump what he can and cannot build on the grounds of the Executive Mansion.
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he → direct → Mansion
Judge Leon is an old acquaintance of mine and has been a fine judge for his long tenure (he was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002 and assumed senior status in 2016), but even the best judges throw a spanner every now and then, and this order is one of those.
Judge Neomi Rao, perhaps the most brilliant intellect on the D.C. Circuit, issued a comprehensive dissent to the rambling wreck of the circuit court’s lengthy opinion.
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Rao → appoint → opinion
The Department of Justice has asked the Chief Justice to stay the order of the Circuit Court and thus Judge Leon’s order.
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Department → ask → Court
Justice Roberts requested the Trust’s response, due by noon (EDT) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026
I hope the Chief Justice stays the D.C. Circuit order Tuesday by COB and makes it clear that construction may continue until and unless the Supreme Court itself orders it halted.
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it → request → COB
Not only are there obvious "standing issues" that should have barred the courts from reaching to the "merits" of the case brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (as President Trump noted in a post Thursday,) but the heart of the debate is presidential authority over the Executive Mansion and its attached grounds and other structures related to the role of Commander-in-Chief.
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heart → stand → Chief
A terse opinion may follow on the ongoing, urgent need to allow this president and all future presidents authority over their home/office/national security facilities within that area as well as associated areas such as Camp David.
uncertain
president → follow → David
To ignore the rapidly evolving threats to the White House and any facility used frequently by any president against this reality would be reckless beyond reason and defy common sense.
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ignore → ignore → sense
The idea that there has to be a process to change the White House facilities (or Camp David or any national security facility threatened by the continually changing capabilities of the country’s enemies) is ridiculous and should be declared so in short, sharp sentences aimed at restoring common sense to the country’s awareness of the threats it faces.
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it → change → threats
The Constitution would not have established the separate but equal branch of the Executive (which also names him the Commander-in-Chief of the military) without including within those grants the necessary and proper powers to conduct both the execution of the laws and the facilities necessary to the command-and-control of the military.
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which → establish → military
The backdrop to this case is not just repeated attempts on the lives of this and other presidents, but also rapidly evolving surveillance technology that has to be countered, and, of course, the astonishing evolution of the threats from drones and hypersonic missiles over the past three years.
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that → repeat → years
This president and future presidents should not be hindered in securing their homes, offices and national security facilities from a threat matrix that has soared off the charts.
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that → hinder → charts
Recall that on 9/11, Vice President Dick Cheney was physically lifted up and out of his West Wing Office.
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Cheney → recall → Office
Where do you think he was taken?
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he → think → ?
What do you imagine is being built below the new East Wing?
Imagine the consequences of a state sponsor of terror successfully targeting the White House in the near term if necessary defenses that would have deflected the attack are not in place because of this ridiculous litigation.
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that → imagine → litigation
"Trump Derangement Syndrome" has spread far and wide, but while the hard left in this country (and the terror-based regimes which align with the objectives of the radicals) would love to see a Commander-in-Chief denied authority over his command structures and defense of his residence, the Supreme Court should move quickly to end this circus.
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Court → spread → circus
Most of America, and certainly its highest court, would rather spend the rest of its summer break relaxing and preparing for another term that begins in October.
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that → spend → October
But that’s not what would-be assassin nutters much less the Iranian Revolutionary Guard are doing this August.
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nutters → ’ → what
The Supreme Court must "must never forget that it is a constitution we are expounding," and this is the rare case where common sense about the Constitution should see the stay issue and construction resumed according to the design the president has approved after consultations with the Secret Service and the Pentagon.
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president → forget → Service
Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show" heard weekday afternoons from 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel.
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Hewitt → hear → Channel
Hugh drives Americans home on the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen.
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SNC → drive → platforms
He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s news roundtable, hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET.
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He → host → 6
A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law.
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he → teach → Law
Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990.
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Hewitt → launch → 1990
Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle.
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Hewitt → appear → cycle
Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians.
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Hewitt → focus → Constitution
Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcasting.
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Hewitt → interview → broadcasting
This column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today.
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that → preview → show
