US Supreme Court permits temporary continuation of White House ballroom construction

The US Supreme Court has ruled that construction on President Donald Trump's planned $400 million White House ballroom can temporarily proceed while legal challenges continue. A 5-4 conservative majority granted a stay against a lower court injunction that had halted the project, finding the administration has a reasonable prospect of dismissing a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Chief Justice John Roberts signed the order, granting the court time to evaluate the administration's emergency petition. The justices stressed that the interim decision does not constitute a final judgment on the overall legality of the building project. However, the ruling allows work to resume immediately, raising the possibility that the structural shell could be completed before legal proceedings conclude.

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