Chief justice's order overrides lower court to permit ballroom work

The Supreme Court issued a temporary stay allowing the Trump administration to continue above-ground construction on the White House ballroom. Chief Justice John Roberts signed a one-sentence order that sets aside a lower court injunction pending further review. The injunction had been upheld by the D.C. Circuit after a historic preservation group argued the project lacked required approvals.

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The dispute centers on whether the executive branch can unilaterally undertake major construction on White House grounds without congressional approval. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has argued that federal environmental and administrative laws require formal consultation with planning commissions, environmental assessments, and explicit legislative authorization before proceeding.

The administration has countered that presidents have historically exercised broad discretion over White House