President Donald Trump's administration is taking its fight over the White House ballroom all the way to the Supreme Court. On Thursday, the administration filed an emergency request asking the justices to let construction continue, just a week after a federal appeals court upheld an order blocking further above-ground work.

The injunction is set to take effect Aug. 21, so the clock is ticking.

At the heart of the dispute is Trump's decision to demolish the White House's East Wing last year to make way for a planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The project has been controversial from the start, but the administration is now framing it as a matter of national security.

U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that stopping construction could endanger Trump, his family, White House staff, and foreign dignitaries. In the filing, Sauer wrote:

"This case involves an extraordinary and unlawful injunction that will halt the ongoing construction of the integrated military complex, including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House, which is vitally required by national security."

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued over the project, isn't buying it. In a statement Friday, the group accused the administration of trying to "evade the rule of law" and frustrate judicial review. They urged the Supreme Court to deny the request, saying, "The Supreme Court should deny the Administration's demand that it be allowed to continue Ballroom construction while it appeals."

Then there's the money question. The ballroom's price tag has been on a wild ride. Originally estimated at $200 million, funded by private donors, it jumped to $400 million, and now The Washington Post reports it could hit $600 million, with roughly half coming from taxpayers.

But in the filing, Sauer insists the project is on schedule and under budget, with about $400 million in private donations from Trump and "some of the most prominent and successful corporations and people in America." He added that no taxpayer dollars are needed or required.

Trump himself has been vocal about the project. Last week, on Truth Social, he described the planned facility as a "military center" equipped with bomb shelters, medical facilities, and defenses against drones and missiles. He called the appeals court ruling "horrendous" and wrote, "This unjust decision must be overturned by the Supreme Court in its entirety."

So now it's up to the justices. Will they let the bulldozers keep rolling, or will they side with the preservationists? Either way, this is a fight that's far from over.