The White House is no stranger to renovations, but the current expansion project, a sweeping $300 million ballroom addition, is stirring up more than just dust on Pennsylvania Avenue. In a move that’s sent ripples through both architectural circles and Washington’s political class, President Donald Trump has replaced the project’s original architect, James McCrery, with Shalom Baranes—an established figure whose work has left a visible mark across the capital.
According to The Washington Post, the change in leadership came after a series of disagreements between Trump and McCrery, CEO of McCrery Architects, over the scope of the ballroom. Initially designed to accommodate 650 guests, Trump reportedly pressed for a larger, grander space. Sources cited by the Post also pointed to concerns over McCrery’s small firm missing key deadlines and questions about its capacity to deliver on such a colossal undertaking. Despite the shake-up, McCrery remains involved as a consultant, with both parties said to have parted on good terms.
Stepping into the spotlight is Shalom Baranes, a Georgetown-based architect whose firm’s resume reads like a who’s who of Washington landmarks. Baranes’ experience includes the $1 billion renovation of the Pentagon after the September 11 attacks, work on the Department of Homeland Security headquarters, and restoration projects at the Treasury Building. As Axios reports, his firm is lauded for its historical preservation work, though Baranes himself has publicly defended Brutalist architecture—a style President Trump is known to dislike. Baranes’ portfolio, in fact, features several modernist projects, from City Center to the Georgetown Ritz-Carlton and sprawling developments in Tysons.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle confirmed the transition in a December 5, 2025 statement, telling reporters, “As we begin to transition into the next stage of development on the White House Ballroom, the Administration is excited to share that the highly talented Shalom Baranes has joined the team of experts to carry out President Trump’s vision on building what will be the greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office—the White House Ballroom.” Ingle added, “Shalom is an accomplished architect whose work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation’s capital for decades and his experience will be a great asset to the completion of this project.”
Baranes’ personal story adds another layer of complexity to the appointment. As Axios notes, Baranes was born in Italy after his Jewish parents fled persecution in Libya during the 1950s, eventually immigrating to the United States. His public stance on immigration—he once urged the Trump administration to make its travel ban temporary—contrasts sharply with the president’s recent rhetoric, especially after Trump referred to Somali immigrants as “garbage.” The symbolism of hiring an immigrant architect at this moment hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially as construction delays in D.C. are reportedly linked to worker anxieties amid ongoing immigration crackdowns.
The ballroom project itself is nothing if not ambitious. The planned 90,000-square-foot, gilded facility would nearly double the total size of the White House—a fact that’s drawn both awe and ire. As Newsweek details, the project has been controversial from the outset, not least because it requires the demolition of the historic East Wing, a structure with 83 years of its own history. Aerial images have revealed the East Wing’s complete removal, contradicting earlier assurances that existing buildings would remain untouched. This move has triggered outrage among Democrats, conservationists, and preservation groups, who argue that the White House is a national treasure, not a personal palace.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has emerged as one of the project’s most vocal critics. He introduced the “No Palaces Act,” which would require any demolition plans on White House grounds to automatically trigger a review by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). “There ought to be a right on the part of a member of Congress to seek a court order stopping this kind of absolutely atrocious destruction,” Blumenthal told The Washington Post. “It’s not Donald Trump’s house, it’s the people’s house.”
Yet, the White House insists it has played by the rules. Officials argue that demolition falls outside the NCPC’s purview, since the commission only has authority over new construction, not the removal of existing structures. The administration plans to submit its formal ballroom plans to the NCPC before the end of 2025, a process that’s now overseen by Trump appointees. In an unusual move, demolition began before the commission’s approval—a break with precedent that’s only heightened the political tension.
Funding for the ballroom is coming entirely from private donors, sidestepping the need for congressional appropriations. But the controversy has transcended party lines, with some Republicans supporting the project as a necessary modernization, while Democrats decry it as an overreach of executive power and a disregard for national heritage.
The impact of the construction is already being felt by the public. White House tours have been shortened, and visitors have noticed the absence of the East Wing. Amiah Henry, a student from Sulphur, Louisiana, told the BBC, “The tour was significantly longer last year. It’s definitely a big change. There was a lot of, like, beauty in the East Wing, and that was my favorite part of the tour. I’m sad I didn’t get to see it today, but, you know, what can I do?”
Others see potential benefits. Kevin Heins, a retired military and law enforcement veteran, remarked, “The tour was a little bit shorter, but I think in the long run, with the extension of the ballroom, I think it’s going to be a good thing because you won’t have to wait outside in tents for events and all that. I just think that, with our country, we should have something nice to host events at the White House.”
Meanwhile, the project has even caused some domestic friction within the First Family. The Washington Post reports that First Lady Melania Trump asked the president to halt noisy nighttime construction. Trump’s response? “Sorry, darling, that’s progress.”
As the White House ballroom project moves into its next phase under Baranes’ leadership, the debate over its necessity, scale, and symbolism shows no sign of quieting down. With the East Wing now a memory and the future of the presidential mansion literally under construction, Washington—and the nation—will be watching closely to see just what kind of legacy this grand addition leaves behind.
