April 9 (UPI) -- The Trump administration on Thursday made the case that the $400 million ballroom planned for the White House is needed to ensure its "safety and security."
In two filings with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the administration cited a series of safety concerns, from the White House grounds itself to President Donald Trump, his family and his staff, NBC News reported.
In one of the filings, the administration said that stopping construction now -- which a federal judge ordered to happen on April 1 -- "would imperil the President and national security, and indefinitely leave a large hole beside the executive residence."
The national security and safety concerns cited by the administration in their filings refer to elements of the 90,000-square-foot replacement of the White House's former East Wing that include bomb shelters, a hospital and medical area and other "top secret military installations, structures and equipment."
Based on its concerns, the administration asked the court to rule by Friday and said that it would take an appeal to the Supreme Court if it is not given clearance to continue all of the construction, The Hill reported.
