Trump can continue the construction of the White House ballroom for now, a court has ruled

Washington – The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that President Donald Trump's administration can temporarily continue the construction of a dance hall in the White House. The court has suspended a lower court's decision that blocked further construction. This is reported by the Reuters agency.

The appeals court ordered in early August that the project at the site of the demolished eastern wing of the White House be halted, stating that it must first be approved by Congress. According to Trump's administration, the 8,400-square-foot dance hall will cost $400 million. However, the Supreme Court today took a legal step that aims to give judges more time to consider Trump's administration's request to continue construction while the lawsuit by preservationists trying to stop the project is ongoing.

Trump labeled the project a security necessity this month and described the construction as an "military center".

In a filing addressed to the Supreme Court on August 14, attorneys from the Department of Justice joined Trump's claim that the project is essential from a security standpoint, pointing to assassination attempts on the president and other recent threats. They also noted that the project is 65 percent complete, including both the above-ground and underground sections.

The appeals court stated that arguments regarding national security do not automatically allow for the violation of the law. Its decision does not permanently prevent the construction of the dance hall but blocks above-ground construction until Congress approves the project. The ruling also stated that the president is not the owner of the White House but rather its temporary user.