President Donald Trump fired all six design review panelists who oversee his planned White House ballroom and triumphal arch, citing differences with the president.
The Commission on Fine Arts was established over 100 years ago to advise the president and other officials on architectural projects in Washington, D.C. Former President Joe Biden appointed all members to four-year terms, with the last term set to expire in 2028.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the Commission on Fine Arts is terminated, effective immediately,” an email sent to the commissioners, viewed by the Washington Post, said.
A White House official said in a statement, “We are preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump’s America First Policies.”
In the past, presidents have typically sought the commission’s approval when undertaking architectural projects.
Architect Bruce Becker defended his work in an interview with the Washington Post, saying the commission “plays an important role in shaping the way the public experiences our nation’s capital and the historic buildings it contains, which serve as symbols of our democracy.”
The dismissals don’t appear to have targeted the 14 employees or three board members on the Old Georgetown Board, which advises the main panel.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION
The board hadn’t been openly critical of Trump’s ballroom design, but the president’s destruction of the East Wing was controversial among the wider public, particularly among Democrats.
The ballroom is set to be 90,000 square feet and cost between $250 million and $300 million, a sum that will be financed by private donations.
