Trump touts '6 to 0' approval as Fine Arts panel clears White House ballroom plan
WASHINGTON, DC: A federal arts panel appointed by President Donald Trump has given the green light to his plan to build a sprawling new ballroom on the East Wing of the White House.
Six of the seven members of the US Commission of Fine Arts voted to approve the project during a recent meeting that was initially expected to focus only on design elements.
Commissioner James McCrery, who previously worked professionally on the project, abstained due to a conflict of interest.
Trump celebrates decision on Truth Social
The president quickly welcomed the outcome, hailing the vote in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, February 19.
"The Commission of Fine Arts just approved, unanimously, 6 to 0, with one recusal because he had a conflict in that he worked professionally on the job, the White House Ballroom," Trump wrote.
"Great accolades were paid to the building’s beauty and scale. Thank you to the members of the Commission!" he added.
Costly ballroom project draws scrutiny
The proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom, estimated to cost about $400 million, is intended to allow future administrations to host large state functions indoors instead of relying on outdoor tents.
The project is expected to be funded largely by private donors and completed by 2028.
However, the plan has faced sharp criticism since Trump unveiled it last year. Democratic lawmakers, historians and preservation advocates objected to the proposal, arguing that demolishing the existing East Wing sidestepped traditional permitting, zoning and public review processes.
Legal challenge and political backlash
Opposition intensified after the administration moved to replace members of the arts commission, saying it wanted appointees more closely aligned with Trump’s policies.
In December, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit seeking to pause construction until the public could weigh in.
Trump dismissed the legal challenge as “ridiculous,” insisting that military officials and members of Congress had already signed off on the plan and that it was too late to stop.
Despite the CFA’s approval, the project is not entirely settled. The ballroom will be discussed again at a March meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, which advises on development of federal land and government buildings in the Washington, DC, area.
