Summary
President Donald Trump changed the lead architect for a large, new White House ballroom project. The plan for this $300 million ballroom has led to controversy because it involves demolishing part of the historic East Wing without standard heritage reviews. Critics include lawmakers, historians, and preservation groups.
Key Facts
- President Trump appointed Shalom Baranes as the new lead architect for the White House ballroom project.
- The project is worth $300 million and aims to add a large 90,000-square-foot ballroom to the White House.
- The construction involves demolishing the East Wing, a historic part of the White House.
- President Trump used an exemption to bypass the National Historic Preservation Act's typical review.
- Critics include Democratic lawmakers, conservationists, and architectural preservation groups.
- The ballroom project aims to almost double the size of the White House.
- Shalom Baranes has experience working on significant government buildings in Washington, D.C.
- President Trump dismissed all members of the federal Commission of Fine Arts, responsible for reviewing the project.
