On October 28, 2025, the White House took the dramatic step of firing all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), a move that has sent ripples through Washington’s architectural and political circles. The commission, which holds a storied history dating back to 1910, was set to review several of President Donald Trump’s most ambitious and controversial construction proposals—including a $300 million, 90,000 square foot ballroom on the White House grounds and a ceremonial arch reminiscent of Paris’s Arc de Triomphe near Arlington National Cemetery. The firings, first reported by The Washington Post and confirmed by multiple outlets including ABC News and NBC News, have ignited debate over the future of federal oversight on design and aesthetics in the nation’s capital.
The six commissioners, all appointed by former President Joe Biden, were notified of their termination via email. The seventh seat on the commission had already been vacant prior to the shakeup, leaving the panel entirely empty and paving the way for the White House to swiftly install a new slate of appointees. According to an administration official quoted by ABC News, the White House is "preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump's America First Policies." This intention was echoed in statements provided to NBC News and The Independent, underscoring the administration’s desire to ensure its signature projects face minimal resistance.
The CFA, while advisory in nature, provides "expert advice" to the president, Congress, and the D.C. government on matters of design and aesthetics for federal buildings, memorials, coins, medals, and private projects in the capital. Historically, its recommendations have carried significant weight in shaping the city’s landscape, though presidents are not legally bound to follow its guidance. For example, President Harry Truman famously completed the addition of the White House balcony over the CFA’s objections, a precedent now cited by Trump’s supporters.
The timing of the firings is no coincidence. The CFA was poised to review Trump’s planned ballroom, a massive undertaking that required the demolition of much of the historic East Wing—a move that has drawn fierce criticism from political opponents and preservationists alike. California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are among those who have publicly condemned the destruction of the East Wing, which traditionally houses the First Lady and her staff. Despite the uproar, Trump and administration officials have defended the demolition, citing structural necessity and asserting that no special permission was required for the tear-down. "The administration and President Trump defended their decision to tear down the East Wing, claiming they did not need permission for demolition and that it was necessary for structural reasons," reported The Independent.
Trump’s construction ambitions extend beyond the ballroom. Earlier this month, he pitched the idea of an Arc de Triomphe-style monument, dubbed the “Independence Arch,” to commemorate the United States’s upcoming 250th anniversary. The proposed arch would stand in a roundabout at the end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, in front of Arlington National Cemetery, offering a new landmark on the capital’s skyline. Both the ballroom and the arch, according to Trump, will be funded by private donations. He has also publicly denied persistent rumors that the ballroom would bear his name.
Beyond these headline projects, Trump has overseen a series of modifications to the White House itself. These include paving over a portion of the Rose Garden to create a Mar-a-Lago-style patio, hanging portraits of every president (with the notable exception of Biden) along the West Wing colonnade, and redecorating the Oval Office with gilded details. Each change has been met with varying degrees of public scrutiny, but none has sparked as much controversy as the demolition of the East Wing and the subsequent CFA firings.
The commission’s next scheduled meeting was set for November 20, 2025, but its occurrence is now in doubt, partly due to the ongoing government shutdown. According to the CFA’s official website, submissions for new projects will only be accepted once the government reopens. The uncertainty surrounding the commission’s future is compounded by the fact that the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)—which, unlike the CFA, does have approval power over federal projects in the D.C. area—is now led by Trump appointees. Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary and chair of the NCPC, has been an outspoken supporter of the ballroom project. In a September meeting, Scharf remarked, "I know the president thinks very highly of this commission, and I'm excited for us to play a role in the ballroom project when the time is appropriate for us to do so," as reported by ABC News.
The firings have raised questions about the independence of federal oversight bodies and the precedent it sets for future administrations. Bruce Becker, an architect and former CFA member, told The Washington Post that the agency "plays an important role in shaping the way the public experiences our nation’s capital and the historic building it contains, which serves as symbols of our democracy." Critics argue that replacing the commission with loyalists undermines the very purpose of having an independent advisory board and risks turning the capital’s iconic spaces into political battlegrounds.
Supporters of the administration, on the other hand, contend that the president has the right to appoint advisors who share his vision, especially for projects as consequential as those currently on the table. They point to historical examples where presidents have overridden or ignored the CFA’s recommendations, emphasizing the advisory—not regulatory—nature of the commission’s mandate. The debate is expected to intensify as the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee convenes to examine aspects of the National Historic Preservation Act, with Trump’s construction plans likely to take center stage.
As the White House prepares to appoint new members to the CFA, many in Washington are watching closely to see whether the commission will regain its traditional role or become a rubber stamp for the administration’s architectural ambitions. With the ballroom and Independence Arch projects moving forward—and the East Wing already reduced to rubble—the city’s landscape may soon bear the unmistakable imprint of the Trump era, for better or worse.
For now, the fate of Washington’s most recognizable landmarks rests in the hands of a president determined to leave his mark, and a city reckoning with what that legacy will mean for generations to come.
