The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to continue construction on a massive new ballroom at the White House while the justices consider an emergency appeal.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued the temporary order Friday, allowing work to continue for now despite a lower-court ruling that would have halted much of the above-ground construction.
The decision is temporary and does not represent a final Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the project.
The new ballroom is expected to cost about $400 million and cover approximately 90,000 square feet. The project has drawn legal challenges over whether such a major alteration to the White House can proceed without congressional approval.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation challenged the project, arguing that the administration failed to follow required legal and historic-preservation procedures. A lower court agreed that congressional authorization was required for much of the construction and ordered above-ground work stopped.
The Trump administration appealed, arguing that the project also involves national-security infrastructure and that stopping construction would interfere with work connected to the East Wing complex.
Roberts’ order means construction may continue temporarily while the Supreme Court considers the administration’s request.
The broader legal dispute is still unresolved, and the Court has not yet issued a final decision on whether the ballroom project may be completed without congressional approval.
Source: CNN via X; Reuters; Associated Press
By NJ RADAR Team