U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily allowed above-ground construction of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom to continue Friday, staying a lower court injunction that would block the work.
Roberts issued an administrative stay of the 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 as the underlying legal battle plays out. Above-ground construction can continue for now.
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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.
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.
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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 come too late.
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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' Friday order keeps the lower court injunction on hold for now but does not resolve the underlying dispute over the project.
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The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
