Supreme Court Temporarily Unfreezes Trump Ballroom Construction
The US Supreme Court has temporarily allowed construction of the White House ballroom to move forward. The decision, made by Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday, grants a stay, enabling President Donald Trump’s $400m (£297m) project to continue while the court considers a case aiming to halt it entirely.
The stay remains in place pending further court action.
The case, brought by a preservation group arguing the project would be irreversible without immediate stoppage, was appealed to the high court after a federal appeals court ordered work to halt earlier this month. The appeals court ruled that Trump, as a "temporary tenant," needed congressional approval to make alterations.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, leading the lawsuit, told the BBC they were aware of the stay but awaited further court action.
This decision marks a victory for Trump, who has argued for a larger events space and national security reasons. Had the Supreme Court not intervened, construction would have been legally halted on Friday.
The president has cited the need for a grand ballroom for "State Visits" and national security, claiming it protects the White House from various threats.
Government lawyers argued in an emergency filing that construction must continue for safety reasons. The initial plan for a 650-person ballroom expanded to accommodate 900-1000 people, requiring the demolition of the East Wing.
The Trust, however, has contested the need for such a large ballroom and argued federal review panels should assess the plans before further destruction. Congress was not consulted before construction began.
