A Washington planning panel is scheduled to consider President Donald Trump’s controversial White House ballroom proposal this Thursday, despite a federal court ruling earlier this week that halted the project.
The National Capital Planning Commission will meet to discuss and vote on what’s being called the “East Wing Modernization Project,” according to the panel’s official agenda. The commission’s chairman is Will Scharf, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney.
Trump has described the massive expansion as a $400 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom that would be funded through private donations. The Republican president has called it a “defining addition to the White House and a lasting symbol of his presidency.”
This ballroom represents just one piece of Trump’s ambitious plan to transform Washington’s historic center. His broader vision includes constructing a 250-foot arch and undertaking extensive renovations at the Kennedy Center performing arts venue. Trump has already made significant changes to the White House grounds, including completely redesigning the Rose Garden and adding extensive gold detailing throughout the Oval Office.
Two federal agencies oversee major construction projects in the Washington area: the National Capital Planning Commission and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. Trump has appointed multiple members to both organizations.
The Justice Department has already filed an appeal following Tuesday’s court decision, which prevented the president from moving forward with ballroom construction at the location where the East Wing previously stood without first obtaining congressional authorization.
A federal judge granted the preliminary injunction after the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit. The nonprofit organization argued that Trump overstepped his executive powers when he ordered the demolition of the historic East Wing and began work on the replacement structure.
