Court Clears Path for White House Ballroom Construction

The Supreme Court allowed the White House ballroom construction to proceed, ruling the National Trust for Historic Preservation likely lacks standing to challenge the project in federal court and that the stay factors favor relief, without ruling on the project’s legality. Chief Justice Roberts and other dissenters argued the construction is likely unlawful. The project is now estimated at about $600 million, with funding questions involving private donors and taxpayer dollars (including about $352 million redirected from other funds); the Trust says it will continue pursuing the case and seeks swift Supreme Court review.