The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump a significant legal victory Friday, temporarily clearing the way for construction to resume on his planned $400 million White House ballroom.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued an administrative stay blocking a lower court order that had halted aboveground construction on the project while the Supreme Court considers the administration’s appeal.
The temporary order means work can continue on the roughly 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which the Trump administration says is already about 65% complete.
The dispute reached the Supreme Court after a divided federal appeals court ruled that Trump lacked the authority to move forward with the massive White House addition without authorization from Congress.
The administration challenged that decision, arguing that the project is not simply a ceremonial ballroom but part of a broader security complex designed to protect the president and the White House.
According to the administration, the development includes plans for a bunker, medical facilities and other classified security infrastructure.
The White House previously demolished the East Wing as part of construction for the project.
Trump has made the ballroom one of the most prominent construction initiatives of his second term, arguing for years that the White House lacked an adequate space to host major events.
The president has also increasingly framed the facility as a security necessity following threats and attacks involving high-profile events in Washington.
Trump cited an April assassination attempt connected to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as evidence that holding major gatherings in outside venues creates unnecessary security risks.
The president argued that an event held inside the planned ballroom would benefit from bulletproof windows, a hardened steel roof and other security features intended to protect guests and government officials.
The administration also pointed to a separate alleged plot targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn in June.
Federal authorities thwarted that alleged attack, which prosecutors said involved plans to use explosive-equipped drones and snipers.
Justice Department attorneys have argued that the planned ballroom could serve a broader defensive purpose because of its size, construction and proposed security features.
Plans reportedly include a rooftop drone facility and sniper positions designed to strengthen protection around the White House complex.
Trump has said the planned drone port would be capable of accommodating large numbers of aircraft and could improve defenses against aerial threats.
The project has nevertheless faced significant opposition on Capitol Hill.
Democrats have criticized the ballroom as an expensive addition to the White House while Americans continue to face pressure from food, fuel and other household costs, per the Daily Mail.
Several Republican senators have also expressed concern about the cost and Trump’s ability to proceed without congressional approval.
Seven Senate Republicans joined Democrats in supporting an amendment that would have required congressional authorization before government or private funding could be used for the project.
Republican leaders later removed a proposed $1 billion funding request connected to the project from a larger immigration spending package after determining there were not enough votes to approve it.
Friday’s Supreme Court action does not represent a final ruling on whether Trump ultimately has the legal authority to complete the ballroom.
For now, however, Roberts’ administrative stay removes the immediate legal barrier preventing construction from moving forward while the justices consider the broader dispute.
