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.JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP TO HALT WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION, ESCALATING LEGAL FEUDChief Justice John Roberts attends the State of the Union address.
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)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.TRUMP SAYS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM RULING JEOPARDIZES LIVES OF FUTURE PRESIDENTS, VOWS SUPREME COURT APPEALIn 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.TRUMP PULLS BACK CURTAIN ON WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM’S FORTRESS-LIKE DEFENSES ABOVE AND DEEP BELOWPresident Donald Trump holds a design rendering of a proposed $400 million presidential ballroom at the White House.(Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg)The emergency application went to Roberts,...