The White House on Tuesday fired members of the Commission of Fine Arts, a federal agency that advises on architectural development in Washington, DC.
“We are preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the Commission that are more aligned with President Trump’s America First policies,” a White House official said in a statement.
The move comes as Trump moves toward building a ballroom at the White House, demolishing the East Wing in the process, and as he has said building an arch Near the entrance to the district in front of Arlington National Cemetery.
Washington Post first reported The administration fired all six members of the commission, which is expected to review plans for the arch and possibly the ballroom.
A spokesperson for the commission did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
Commission was established by Congress in 1910 to advise on the placement of statues and monuments in public areas around the district. In the decades since, its scope has expanded to include other structures on and near public lands.
The six members fired by the White House on Tuesday were appointed by former President Biden. Their terms were set to expire after 2028.
Construction crews last week demolished the East Wing of the White House to make way for the ballroom that Trump has wanted to build for years. The President said the cost of the ballroom, which will be used to host state dinners and other major events, has increased $200 million to $300 million,
The White House has argued that it does not need approval to demolish the East Wing because only new, vertical construction requires approval from the National Capital Planning Commission. The administration is expected to submit plans for the ballroom to the commission, which is stocked with Trump aides and led by White House staff secretary Will Scharf.
Trump also detailed plans earlier this month to build an arch near the Lincoln Memorial at the entrance to Washington. The president has not provided specific information, such as how much the arches will cost, whether the city has approved the project or what the timeline for construction might be.
Trump has ousted various board members and administration figures in his first months in office, including board of directors At the Kennedy Center, members of the National Capital Planning Commission, archivists and others.
The Biden administration similarly sought to remake some DC advisory boards soon, including remaking the Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission board and asking Trump allies. to resign From the Board of Visitors at the U.S. Naval Academy
