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U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily allowed above-ground construction of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom to continue Friday, issuing a stay of a lower court injunction that would block the work.
Roberts issued an administrative stay of a preliminary injunction entered April 16 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, putting the injunction on hold “pending further order” from Roberts or the Supreme Court.
The move puts the case in a temporary holding pattern while the Supreme Court considers whether construction can continue and the underlying legal battle plays out. Above-ground construction can continue for now.
JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP TO HALT WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION, ESCALATING LEGAL FEUD
Trump celebrated the decision Friday, saying he was “grateful” to the Supreme Court and touting the project as vital to national security.
“Construction is under budget and ahead of schedule,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump called the project the “Military/Ballroom Complex” and said it would be “THE GREATEST OF ITS KIND!” He also claimed presidents have wanted such a facility for 150 years and the military has sought one for the past century.
A federal appeals court mandate blocking construction had been scheduled to take effect Friday.
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court last week to intervene in the months-long legal battle, arguing that halting construction would threaten national security and the safety of the president and other senior officials.
TRUMP PULLS BACK CURTAIN ON WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM’S FORTRESS-LIKE DEFENSES ABOVE AND DEEP BELOW
In its emergency application, the administration described the project as an “integrated military complex” that includes a secure ballroom space and argued that the project is critical to protecting the president, his family, White House staff and visiting foreign leaders.
The administration also pointed to assassination attempts against Trump in arguing for additional security measures associated with the new complex.
The emergency application went to Roberts, who handles emergency matters arising from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is suing to block the project, opposed the administration’s request and argued that Congress has authority over federal property and had not authorized the ballroom project.
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The preservation group also accused the administration of attempting to outrun judicial review by accelerating construction while the litigation proceeded. In its filing, the group said a 250-person crew had been working “20 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
The Trump administration has taken an aggressive position in the dispute, arguing that construction has advanced to the point that judicial intervention would be too late.
APPEALS COURT LETS TRUMP RESUME WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION, SEEKS LOWER COURT CLARITY
The legal fight reached the Supreme Court after a divided federal appeals court ruled that Congress had not authorized the ballroom. The ruling would have blocked above-ground construction while allowing underground work associated with new security features to continue.
Roberts’ order on Friday keeps the lower court injunction on hold for now but does not resolve the underlying dispute over the project.
MORNING GLORY: SCOTUS SHOULD URGENTLY ALLOW CONSTRUCTION AT THE WHITE HOUSE TO PROCEED
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The White House referred Fox News Digital to President Trump’s Truth Social post on the matter.
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