Trump's ballroom construction 'likely unlawful,' John Roberts says, but Supreme Court will allow it anyway

A 5-4 conservative majority on the Supreme Court ruled Monday that construction on a new $400 million White House ballroom can proceed, reversing lower court orders that had temporarily halted aboveground work on the project.
Chief Justice John Roberts dissented from the decision, writing that the ongoing construction was "likely unlawful."
Roberts joined the court's three liberal justices in opposition, arguing that work on the facility had moved forward unchecked for nearly a year despite significant legal flaws.
"Construction of the ballroom has proceeded apace for the better part of a year," Roberts wrote. "That construction is likely unlawful."
Despite Roberts' warning, the majority threw out the challenge against the Trump administration on procedural grounds. The court concluded that the plaintiff, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, lacked the legal standing required to pursue a federal lawsuit.
The Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for work to resume on a $400 million White House ballroom, lifting lower court injunctions that had paused aboveground construction on the project in a 5-4 vote(Getty)