US Supreme Court clears way for Trump to keep building White House ballroom

What the report says

The US Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump to continue with construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House, after a 5-4 decision sided with the Trump administration’s emergency request. The ruling blocks lower-court orders that would have stopped work on the above-ground part of the project, marking a significant legal victory for the president.

The case was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued that Trump lacked the authority to move ahead on his own. The Trust said the demolition of the historic East Wing, begun last autumn, was causing irreversible harm to a landmark. The court’s majority said the administration had shown it was likely to succeed in arguing that the Trust did not have standing to sue and that the government could face irreparable harm if construction were paused.

Chief Justice John Roberts had previously issued a temporary stay on Friday, allowing work to continue while the court considered whether to halt the project entirely. On Monday, Roberts joined the court’s three liberal justices in dissent, saying the construction was likely unlawful. The dissenters argued Congress has not given express authority for this kind of federal construction on the capital’s grounds.

BBC World News reported that Trump has said the White House needs a larger event space and, more recently, that the project is important for security. The order means construction can proceed for now, including related elements such as a military complex.