403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were looking for doesn't exist.
White House Ballroom Battle: Supreme Court Sides With Trump
(MENAFN) The US Supreme Court delivered a significant win for President Donald Trump on Monday, greenlighting continued construction of his proposed White House ballroom and military complex with no end date in sight.
In a 5-4 emergency ruling, the justices blocked lower-court rulings that would have halted work on the structure above ground. The decision echoed a similar temporary order Chief Justice John Roberts had issued on Aug. 21.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation had challenged the project, contending Trump lacked the unilateral power to move forward without congressional sign-off. The Supreme Court sidestepped that underlying question of presidential authority altogether. Instead, the majority determined the trust likely couldn't meet the legal threshold needed to bring the case at all.
"Today, we do not pass upon the legality of the government's East Wing project," the court said, adding that the government was likely to prevail in showing the trust lacked standing.
Roberts broke from the majority, joining the court's three liberal justices in dissent. They contended the construction was "likely unlawful" and noted it had already been underway for much of the past year.
"The President ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new, privately funded state ballroom in its place," said Roberts. "Construction of the ballroom has proceeded apace for the better part of a year."
The historic preservation trust had pointed to potential aesthetic, cultural, and historical damage stemming from the project. The court's majority dismissed that reasoning, stating that "mere offense, disagreement, or distaste" does not amount to a concrete legal injury.
According to the White House, construction stood at 65% completion as of Aug. 24, with 250 workers on site around the clock for 20-hour shifts. The administration has pegged the project's total cost at $400 million, describing it as privately funded — a claim that has faced pushback.
Trump celebrated the ruling on his Truth Social platform, framing it as a win for the "Ballroom/Military Complex" and asserting the project remained "under budget and ahead of schedule."
He called the future structure one of the "Greatest ever constructed in Washington, D.C." and projected completion by summer 2028.
Trump also cast the project as a gift to taxpayers, saying it was being financed by "Great Patriots and Corporations" at "no cost to the American Taxpayer."
Chief Justice's Dissent
Last week, Roberts issued a temporary stay blocking a US District Court judge's order that had halted the ballroom's construction while the National Trust's lawsuit worked its way through the courts. That stay gave the full Supreme Court time to weigh whether a longer pause was warranted as litigation continued. Monday's ruling permits construction to proceed.
The high court's decision marks a win for the president as crews rush to complete the 90,000 square foot (8,360 square meter) ballroom before the legal battle concludes. Trump has argued the structure is necessary on national security grounds and will feature cutting-edge protective measures for the White House against potential attack, according to media reports.
Roberts's dissent laid out his legal objections to the project in detail.
"Congress has explicitly prohibited the construction of any 'building or structure … on any reservation, park, or public grounds of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia without the express authority of Congress,'" he said.
"The White House is not just any building," he continued. "In failing to appreciate as much, the court misconceives the plaintiff's injury, allowing the executive's likely infringement of the legislature's power of the purse and authority to regulate federal property in the District of Columbia to continue."
In a 5-4 emergency ruling, the justices blocked lower-court rulings that would have halted work on the structure above ground. The decision echoed a similar temporary order Chief Justice John Roberts had issued on Aug. 21.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation had challenged the project, contending Trump lacked the unilateral power to move forward without congressional sign-off. The Supreme Court sidestepped that underlying question of presidential authority altogether. Instead, the majority determined the trust likely couldn't meet the legal threshold needed to bring the case at all.
"Today, we do not pass upon the legality of the government's East Wing project," the court said, adding that the government was likely to prevail in showing the trust lacked standing.
Roberts broke from the majority, joining the court's three liberal justices in dissent. They contended the construction was "likely unlawful" and noted it had already been underway for much of the past year.
"The President ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new, privately funded state ballroom in its place," said Roberts. "Construction of the ballroom has proceeded apace for the better part of a year."
The historic preservation trust had pointed to potential aesthetic, cultural, and historical damage stemming from the project. The court's majority dismissed that reasoning, stating that "mere offense, disagreement, or distaste" does not amount to a concrete legal injury.
According to the White House, construction stood at 65% completion as of Aug. 24, with 250 workers on site around the clock for 20-hour shifts. The administration has pegged the project's total cost at $400 million, describing it as privately funded — a claim that has faced pushback.
Trump celebrated the ruling on his Truth Social platform, framing it as a win for the "Ballroom/Military Complex" and asserting the project remained "under budget and ahead of schedule."
He called the future structure one of the "Greatest ever constructed in Washington, D.C." and projected completion by summer 2028.
Trump also cast the project as a gift to taxpayers, saying it was being financed by "Great Patriots and Corporations" at "no cost to the American Taxpayer."
Chief Justice's Dissent
Last week, Roberts issued a temporary stay blocking a US District Court judge's order that had halted the ballroom's construction while the National Trust's lawsuit worked its way through the courts. That stay gave the full Supreme Court time to weigh whether a longer pause was warranted as litigation continued. Monday's ruling permits construction to proceed.
The high court's decision marks a win for the president as crews rush to complete the 90,000 square foot (8,360 square meter) ballroom before the legal battle concludes. Trump has argued the structure is necessary on national security grounds and will feature cutting-edge protective measures for the White House against potential attack, according to media reports.
Roberts's dissent laid out his legal objections to the project in detail.
"Congress has explicitly prohibited the construction of any 'building or structure … on any reservation, park, or public grounds of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia without the express authority of Congress,'" he said.
"The White House is not just any building," he continued. "In failing to appreciate as much, the court misconceives the plaintiff's injury, allowing the executive's likely infringement of the legislature's power of the purse and authority to regulate federal property in the District of Columbia to continue."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment