US Supreme Court permits continued construction of White House ballroom

The US Supreme Court has temporarily cleared the way for construction to continue on a $400 million ballroom at the White House. Following an emergency request from the administration, Chief Justice John Roberts issued an order staying a lower court injunction that had previously halted the project.

The legal challenge, filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, argues the development violates historic preservation laws. In a 5–4 vote along ideological lines, the conservative majority indicated the government showed a strong probability of prevailing in the ongoing litigation. The justices emphasized that the order allows structural work to resume while appeals are processed, but does not constitute a final judgment on the lawsuit's merits.

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