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The Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom construction to continue while it reviews a lower court’s order that would have stopped the project. The high court's decision, issued Friday, provides a temporary stay and gives the justices more time to consider the administration’s appeal, which seeks to keep the $400 million, privately funded project on track as legal battles continue.

According to the Associated Press via PBS, the ballroom is being built where the East Wing of the White House once stood before its demolition last fall. A divided panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled last week that work must stop because Congress had not approved the project. The majority opinion stated, "Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help."

The Trump administration argues the president has authority to renovate the White House, calling the ballroom a matter of national security. In court filings, Solicitor General D. John Sauer pointed to the need for additional security after a recent threat to Air Force One, saying the ballroom would serve as a “totally secure” space. The administration also claims the project is on time and under budget, with no taxpayer funds being used, though some lawmakers have questioned the source of the funding.

Historic preservation groups, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, sued to stop the aboveground construction, arguing the administration is trying to "outrun the courts" by accelerating work. The appeals court upheld a lower court order to pause aboveground construction but allowed underground work, such as bunkers and military facilities, to continue. The administration has said about 65% of the ballroom is finished after ten months of work.

Chief Justice John Roberts has set a deadline of Tuesday for plaintiffs to respond to the administration’s petition. As reported by the Associated Press, the Supreme Court’s stay will remain in effect while the justices decide whether construction can move forward permanently or must be halted per the lower court’s order.

For more background on the legal and political fight over the project, see Reuters coverage. The final fate of the White House ballroom will be determined after the Supreme Court reaches a decision on the administration's formal appeal.