After months of lawsuits, court orders and enough legal maneuvering to qualify as its own dance routine, it’s been decided that President Donald J. Trump can keep building his White House ballroom.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Monday to allow construction on Trump’s ballroom project to continue. The decision puts lower-court restrictions on hold and, with the project already well underway, effectively clears the dance floor for construction to proceed.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued over the project, arguing Trump moved forward without required congressional authorization. Lower courts agreed there were serious legal problems.
The Supreme Court majority, however, didn’t decide whether Trump’s ballroom is legal. Instead, the justices concluded the preservation group likely lacks standing to challenge it. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s three liberal justices in dissent.
The planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom replaced the demolished East Wing and has become one of Trump’s most controversial White House projects – but what ISN’T controversial when Trump is involved?
For now, the injunction is gone, construction continues and Trump appears to have won the ballroom battle.
Cue the YMCA music.
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