US supreme court allows Trump to keep building $400m White House ballroom

Justices’ 5-4 ruling permits Trump administration appeal to block lower court order halting above-ground work

A divided US supreme court has permitted Donald Trump to continue building his controversial $400m White House ballroom amid legal challenges.

In a 5-4 ruling, the justices permitted the Trump administration’s request to ⁠block a lower court order which had halted above-ground construction of the project while a lawsuit by a historic preservation group seeks to block it.

The US president, who demolished the historic East Wing of the White House last year to make way for planned ballroom, has repeatedly touted it as “a gift” to the US people.

Monday’s decision from the supreme court comes after a temporary order from Chief Justice John Roberts, which had enabled work to continue.

Roberts opted to dissent from this latest order, however, joining with the court’s three liberal-leaning justices, who described the construction as “likely unlawful”.