Supreme Court allows White House ballroom construction to continue

The Supreme Court has allowed construction on the White House ballroom project to continue while legal challenges are still being heard in lower courts. The 54 emergency order replaces a temporary step taken by Chief Justice John Roberts shortly before a lowercourt block was due to take effect. The dispute centers on whether the project is lawful under federal rules governing construction on government land in Washington, D.C. Roberts, in dissent, said the ballroom is likely unlawful and argued that Congress did not give the executive branch clear authorization for the work. President Donald Trump welcomed the decision and said the privately funded project would move forward. He said the ballroom and military complex could be finished by summer 2028, while critics and preservation groups continue to challenge the work in court.