The Supreme Court just handed Trump a win for his White House ballroom project

A divided court decided that construction on the ballroom can continue while lawsuits play out.

The new White House ballroom under construction, built on the demolished East Wing, is pictured, as seen from the Washington Monument, Sunday, August. 23, 2026, in Washington. [Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo]

A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed the White House to continue construction on a $400 million ballroom project as lawsuits play out, a win for President Donald Trump as he flexes unprecedented executive power and remakes the capital in his image.The apparent 5-4 decision replaces a temporary order issued earlier this month, shortly before a court-ordered halt would have gone into effect.That temporary order was signed by Chief Justice John Roberts, assigned to handle appeals from the capital. But he publicly disagreed with the latest decision, writing a strong dissent that said the project is likely unlawful because it hasn’t been approved by Congress.“Today’s decision is no victory for the separation of powers,” Roberts wrote. The court’s three liberal-leaning justices agreed.The majority, on the other hand, found the National Trust for Historic Preservation likely did not have the legal right to challenge the project.The unsigned order pointed to government arguments that the ballroom would address........

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