US Supreme Court allows White House ballroom construction to resume

The United States Supreme Court has temporarily permitted construction to resume on a $400 million ballroom at the White House while legal proceedings continue.

In a brief order issued by Chief Justice John Roberts, a five-justice conservative majority lifted a lower court injunction that had halted the project. The legal challenge, brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, contends that the expansion causes permanent damage to the executive mansion's historical architecture.

While the Supreme Court noted that the administration has a strong likelihood of ultimately prevailing, justices emphasized that the decision does not constitute a final judgment on the lawsuit's legal merits. With work authorized to restart, the building's structural shell could be completed before lower courts reach a definitive verdict.

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