Trump's White House ballroom project wins approval from federal architecture commission

President Trump's proposal to construct a ballroom at the White House was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday, February 19, 2026, with six members of the commission, all of whom were Trump appointees, giving final approval to the project that aims to provide a more permanent venue for international diplomatic gatherings rather than temporary tents. The meeting was initially intended to discuss the project's design with a final vote expected later, but Chairman Rodney Mims Cook Jr. made a motion to vote on final approval immediately. Architect Shalom Baranes presented renderings of the proposed exterior, while landscape architect Rick Parisi showed mock-ups of the ballroom grounds' foliage. The original architect of the ballroom recused himself from the voting process. 'Our sitting president has actually designed a very beautiful structure,' Mr. Cook remarked before the vote, emphasizing that 'The United States just should not be entertaining the world in tents.' The president's decision to demolish the East Wing in October to make way for the project has drawn significant criticism from preservation advocates and calls for independent review and congressional approval. Commission secretary Thomas Luebke revealed extraordinary public engagement on the project, noting that the commission had received more than 2,000 messages in the past week alone. 'The vast, vast majority is negative, in general,' he stated, with 'over 99%' of public comments being 'overwhelmingly in opposition.' The concerns raised included issues with permits, oversight, and transparency in funding and contracting processes. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit in federal court in an attempt to halt construction, which is currently pending. The privately funded, multimillion-dollar project aims for a ballroom larger than the White House itself, with an expected completion date in the summer of 2028. Several commissioners had previously questioned the lead architect about the 'immense' size of the ballroom during a January meeting. The White House still awaits approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which could vote as soon as March 5 on whether to allow the project to proceed.