Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to let construction continue on a proposed $400m White House ballroom while his administration appeals a lower-court order to halt the work. The dispute matters because it concerns whether a president can make major changes to the White House complex without congressional approval and the usual historic-preservation reviews.

An appeals court ruled last week that work must stop unless Congress authorises it, following a lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation; the order takes effect on 21 August. The administration says the project is 65% complete, privately funded and includes security-related facilities, while opponents argue the demolition of the East Wing and construction began without required review or public consultation.