U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay on Friday, allowing above-ground construction of President Donald Trump's White House ballroom to proceed. This stay suspends a lower court's injunction from April 16, which had blocked the construction. The Supreme Court's decision puts the case in a temporary holding pattern while it reviews the legal arguments surrounding the project.
The Trump administration had requested the Supreme Court's intervention, citing national security concerns and the safety of the president and senior officials. In its emergency application, the administration described the ballroom project as part of an "integrated military complex" essential for protecting the president, his family, and visiting foreign leaders. The administration also referenced past assassination attempts against Trump to support its claims for enhanced security measures.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is opposing the project, argued that Congress has not authorized the ballroom construction and accused the administration of trying to expedite the project to avoid judicial review. The preservation group noted that a large crew had been working extensively on the construction.
The legal dispute escalated to the Supreme Court after a divided federal appeals court ruled that Congress had not authorized the ballroom, which would have halted above-ground construction while allowing related underground work to continue. Roberts' order maintains the status quo but does not resolve the ongoing legal conflict regarding the ballroom project.