The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for Donald Trump's $600 million White House ballroom to proceed, ruling 5-4 that the National Trust for Historic Preservation lacked the legal standing to halt construction. Notably, Chief Justice John Roberts broke with his usual conservative allies, dissenting alongside the court's liberal justices and stating that the construction was "likely unlawful" and represented a threat to the separation of powers, as it bypassed Congress's control over federal property and spending.

Roberts' dissent argued that the White House holds a unique status and warned against allowing the executive branch to infringe on legislative authority, closing with a pointed quote from Winston Churchill about buildings shaping those who occupy them. Trump, who had earlier used the ballroom project to justify demolishing the White House East Wing last October, celebrated the ruling online without acknowledging Roberts' rebuke, describing the venue — designed to seat over 1,000 guests and double as a secure command bunker — as one of the greatest buildings ever constructed in Washington, D.C.