US supreme court lets Trump continue work on White House ballroom for now

The US Supreme Court has granted a temporary order permitting construction on Donald Trump's White House ballroom project while an emergency appeal from his administration is considered. Chief Justice John Roberts signed the order on Friday, allowing work to proceed on the planned addition to the White House, which has been a top priority for the president.

Democrats have criticized the Supreme Court, which is controlled by a conservative super-majority, for "rubber stamping Trump's vanity-driven, gilded corruption." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that the administration's focus on the ballroom project is wasteful, as the country is currently engaged in an "endless and illegal war, corporate giveaways and Trump's pet projects."

The project already involves the demolition of the White House East Wing and includes an underground military facility designed to protect the president and senior officials during an emergency.

The cost of the project is expected to exceed $400 million, with construction on the ballroom currently at approximately 65% completion. The administration argues that the authority over White House renovations lies with the president, not Congress or the courts, and that the ballroom will be reinforced with missile-resistant columns and a drone-proof roof.