U.S. President Donald Trump has fired all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), an independent federal agency responsible for reviewing major construction and design projects in the nation’s capital.
The decision comes as Trump advances controversial renovation plans, including a $300 million White House ballroom and a proposed triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial.
Highlights
- President Trump fired all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which reviews construction projects in Washington, D.C.
- The firings come as Trump pushes controversial plans, including a $300 million White House ballroom and a triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial.
- Trump plans to appoint new members aligned with his policies after recently reshuffling the National Capital Planning Commission.
- Trump’s White House renovations are a major shift from recent administrations, with potential bypass of traditional design approvals.
The Commission of Fine Arts, created by Congress in 1910, advises the president, Congress, and local officials on design and preservation.
Donald Trump fired all the members of an independent agency reviewing construction projects
Image credits: The White House/Flickr
In an email obtained by The Washington Post, the White House informed commissioners that their positions were “terminated, effective immediately.”
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the Commission on Fine Arts is terminated, effective immediately,” the email says.
All six members, appointed by former President Joe Biden, were serving four-year terms set to end between 2026 and 2028.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The New York Times that Trump plans to appoint a new group aligned with his policies.
Image credits: Commission of Fine Arts
The move follows the administration’s recent reshuffling of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), another agency involved in reviewing federal construction in Washington, D.C.
Trump allies now hold a majority on that board, including White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf, who serves as chair.
The firings occurred days after demolition crews tore down the 123-year-old East Wing of the White House to make space for Trump’s planned ballroom.
The project is one of the largest modifications to the White House since President Harry S. Truman’s postwar reconstruction in the 1940s.
Commission of Fine Arts is responsible for reviewing major construction and design projects in the capital
Image credits: Eric Lee/Getty Images
Despite public assurances that the East Wing would remain intact, photographs show the structure has already been demolished.
Architect Bruce Becker, one of the dismissed commissioners, criticized the White House’s abrupt action.
The agency “plays an important role in shaping the way the public experiences our nation’s capital and the historic buildings it contains, which serve as symbols of our democracy,” Becker told The Washington Post.
“Were it not for today’s terminations, CFA would look forward to a full review of the plans for the new structure that will replace the East Wing,” Becker added.
Trump has also proposed a triumphal arch, dubbed the “Arc De Trump,” which is planned to sit across from the Lincoln Memorial.
Image credits: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Because the site lies on federal land, it would typically be subject to review by both the CFA and NCPC.
The White House has not confirmed whether Trump intends to seek those approvals. Projects like these take years to get approval for.
When President Truman made renovations to the White House, he consulted Congress, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the CFA for approval of the design sketches, along with approval of smaller details like fabric samples and color schemes.
Experts told The Washington Post that Trump may attempt to bypass traditional review processes by invoking a 1947 precedent set by Truman, whose addition of a balcony to the White House proceeded despite objections from the CFA.
Construction projects like the ballroom or the proposed ‘Arc De Trump’ usually take years to get approved
Image credits: Donald Trump/TruthSocial
At the time, the commission acknowledged that its authority was “advisory,” allowing the president to move forward.
Historic preservation groups have urged the administration to slow down construction and follow public review procedures. The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently called for a pause on demolition and a full assessment by both federal commissions.
“These processes provide a crucial opportunity for transparency and broad engagement—values that have guided preservation of the White House under every administration going back to the public competition in 1792 that produced the building’s original design,” the group said.
The White House maintains that all necessary agencies are being consulted. “Construction plans have not yet been submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission but will be soon,” a spokesperson told Reuters last week.
Image credits: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Trump’s redesigns mark a sharp departure from recent administrations, which generally limited White House renovations to maintenance and minor aesthetic updates.
Trump is the second president to force out members appointed to the federal committees.
In 2021, Biden fired Trump appointees from the CFA and the NCPC. Biden administration officials defended the move based on diversification.