YULETIDE SECURITY: ENUGU POLICE OPERATIVES BUST ARMED ROBBERY AND ONE-CHANCE SYNDICATE, ARREST FIVE SUSPECTS, RECOVER IMITATION GUN, STOLEN TRICYCLES AND OTHER EXHIBITS. (PHOTO). #PRESS RELEASE.
The White House on Tuesday dismissed all members of the Commission of Fine Arts, the federal body that advises on architecture and public space projects in Washington, D.C.
A White House official said the move is intended to bring in a new set of commissioners “more aligned with President Trump’s America First policies.” The shake-up comes as Trump advances plans for a White House ballroom, which required the demolition of the East Wing, and discusses building an arch near the District’s entrance across from Arlington National Cemetery.
The six commissioners removed had been appointed by former President Biden, with terms originally set to run through 2028. The commission’s role includes reviewing proposals for monuments, statues, and other structures on federal lands in the capital, and it was expected to assess Trump’s arch and potentially the ballroom.
Last week, construction crews tore down the East Wing to make room for the ballroom, which Trump says will host state dinners and large events. He has cited rising costs, now estimated at $300 million, up from an initial $200 million. The White House maintains that approval from the National Capital Planning Commission wasn’t required because the demolition did not involve new vertical construction. Plans for the ballroom are expected to be submitted to the newly restructured commission, which is being filled with Trump allies and overseen by White House staff secretary Will Scharf.
Trump has also outlined intentions to build an arch near the Lincoln Memorial, though details such as cost, timeline, and city approval remain unclear. This dismissal follows a broader pattern of the administration replacing advisory board members and officials, including positions at the Kennedy Center, the National Capital Planning Commission, and other federal boards. Similar board reshuffles occurred under the Biden administration, which replaced some D.C. advisory board members and requested resignations from Trump allies at the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors.
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