The U.S. Supreme Court authorized Donald Trump on Monday to continue work on the monumental ballroom at the White House, a decision welcomed by the president, AFP reports, according to Agerpres.

With a 5-4 vote, the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is final, but it does not rule on the legality of the project; rather, it merely overturns an injunction that had halted construction while the case was being heard by lower courts—a process that could take months or even years—following an appeal filed by the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP).

“Today, we are not ruling on the legality of the government’s East Wing project. We merely conclude that, based on the arguments presented to us, the government will likely be able to demonstrate that the Trust lacks standing to challenge this project in federal court,” the decision states.

Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, issued a separate opinion, joined by the Supreme Court’s three liberal justices, arguing that “the construction is likely illegal” due to the lack of congressional approval.

In April, a federal court ordered a halt to construction of the ballroom but allowed construction of an underground bunker to continue. Subsequently, on August 7, an appeals court upheld this decision and ruled that such work on the White House requires explicit approval from Congress.

In October 2025, Donald Trump had an entire wing of the White House demolished by bulldozer to build this ballroom, which would be able to accommodate up to 1,000 people for various receptions and dinners in honor of foreign dignitaries, with the cost of the project estimated at approximately $600 million.

Source – AGERPRES