The Supreme Court issued an order allowing President Trump to move ahead with construction of his 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom. In a 5-4 vote, the court said that the preservationists who sued to block the president's plans did not have legal grounds to do so because they were not directly harmed by the project. The justices emphasized that their order did not address the legality of the ballroom's construction.

But in practical terms, it most likely clears the way for Trump to finish erecting the building in place of the old East Wing, which he tore down last year. Chief Justice John Roberts, joined by the court's three liberal justices in dissent, said the construction was 'likely unlawful.' He wrote that the White House is 'an iconic American building whose symbolism and history are wrapped up in its architecture.'.