Supreme Court's chief justice allows work on Trump's $400M White House ballroom to continue for now

Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday allowed construction to continue on a $400 million White House ballroom project for now, as the Supreme Court reviews the Trump administration's emergency request to intervene in lawsuits concerning the project. The temporary order was issued just hours before lower-court rulings would have halted aboveground construction due to Trump's lack of congressional approval.

The order will remain in place until the Supreme Court provides a more definitive decision, though no details on Roberts' reasoning or a set timeline for the next ruling were provided.

Donald Trump expressed his gratitude to the high court and the chief justice during a political appearance in South Carolina, stating that "when they say proceed, that's a good thing." The White House argues that the president has the authority to renovate federal buildings as he sees fit, citing national security concerns as the reason for the project's completion.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, however, contends that the president lacks unilateral authority to undertake the work, which has included the demolition of the East Wing. Lawyers for the preservation group accused the White House of attempting to "outpace the courts" by accelerating the construction.

As of now, about 65% of the work has reportedly been completed on the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom, with the remaining 35% to be finished in the coming weeks. Crews are working around the clock, seven days a week, to ensure the project remains on schedule. The administration estimates that $200 million in private donations have been spent or committed to the project.

The litigation surrounding the ballroom project has been ongoing, with previous rulings by district and appeals courts divided, with differing opinions on the matter's jurisdiction and legality.