About that White House ballroom and the East Wing
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I'm thinking some smart Democrats are going to promise to demolish the structure in 2029, and they won't bother asking any commission for permission.
In fact, a smart play is to tell the corporations that have funded this demolition of the East Wing and its replacement with this monstrosity that they will be expected to open their wallets again to fund the historical renovation of what was there. They will be told that the East Wing will be rebuilt and the grounds fully repaired. I suspect a complete and accurate replication of the East Wing will cost many times what the bombastic (but surely cheaply done) ballroom will cost. And those firms and individuals will likely agree to fully fund it, knowing that a refusal will have significant negative consequences for them. No one will need to spell out those consequences in plain language.
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I'm thinking some smart Democrats are going to promise to demolish the structure in 2029, and they won't bother asking any commission for permission.
In fact, a smart play is to tell the corporations that have funded this demolition of the East Wing and its replacement with this monstrosity that they will be expected to open their wallets again to fund the historical renovation of what was there. They will be told that the East Wing will be rebuilt and the grounds fully repaired. I suspect a complete and accurate replication of the East Wing will cost many times what the bombastic (but surely cheaply done) ballroom will cost. And those firms and individuals will likely agree to fully fund it, knowing that a refusal will have significant negative consequences for them. No one will need to spell out those consequences in plain language.
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I just saw this on social media: Nobody adds a ballroom to a house they plan on leaving.
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... what the bombastic (but surely cheaply done) ballroom will cost.
News reports say it is now expected to cost $300 million.
Expect that number to increase.
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The Commission of Fine Arts was established in 1910, and is tasked with “giving expert advice to the President, the Congress and the federal and District of Columbia governments on matters of design and aesthetics”, according to its website.
Its purview includes reviewing designs proposed for memorials and new or renovated government buildings, and the commission is intended to be staffed by experts in art, architecture and urban design.
How do you get the Commission of Fine Arts to approve your plans? Easy.
Donald Trump has fired all six members of an independent federal agency responsible for reviewing his controversial White House ballroom and planned “Arc de Trump” in Washington DC.
The Washington Post first reported that all members of the Commission of Fine Arts were dismissed on Tuesday.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the Commission of Fine Arts is terminated, effective immediately,” read an email sent to one of the commissioners, which was obtained by the Post.
A White House official told the Guardian: “We are preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump’s America First Policies.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/29/trump-fires-arts-board-arc-ballroom
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The Commission of Fine Arts was established in 1910, and is tasked with “giving expert advice to the President, the Congress and the federal and District of Columbia governments on matters of design and aesthetics”, according to its website.
Its purview includes reviewing designs proposed for memorials and new or renovated government buildings, and the commission is intended to be staffed by experts in art, architecture and urban design.
How do you get the Commission of Fine Arts to approve your plans? Easy.
Donald Trump has fired all six members of an independent federal agency responsible for reviewing his controversial White House ballroom and planned “Arc de Trump” in Washington DC.
The Washington Post first reported that all members of the Commission of Fine Arts were dismissed on Tuesday.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the Commission of Fine Arts is terminated, effective immediately,” read an email sent to one of the commissioners, which was obtained by the Post.
A White House official told the Guardian: “We are preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump’s America First Policies.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/29/trump-fires-arts-board-arc-ballroom
said in About that White House ballroom and the East Wing:
planned “Arc de Trump” in Washington DC.
In case you missed this (I did):
