US Supreme Court allows temporary continuation of White House ballroom construction

The United States Supreme Court has issued an interim order permitting construction to temporarily resume on President Donald Trump’s proposed $400 million White House ballroom.

Chief Justice John Roberts and a five-justice conservative majority paused a lower court injunction, indicating that the federal government has strong prospects of prevailing against a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The preservation group had sought to halt the expansion over concerns regarding the historical integrity of the White House grounds.

The justices emphasized that the emergency order does not constitute a final determination on the legal merits of the dispute. Instead, the measure grants the Supreme Court additional time to evaluate the administration's appeal while preliminary site work continues.

Sources: Der Standard, Die Zeit, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau.