Trump Appoints Allies to Review His Ballroom Plans
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- President Trump has appointed four new members to the Commission of Fine Arts, including the original architect of the proposed White House ballroom, to review plans for the new construction.
- The new appointees include Mary Anne Carter, head of the National Endowment for the Arts; Roger Kimball, a conservative art critic; Matthew Taylor; and James McCrery, the first architect on the ballroom project.
- Tensions arose between Trump and McCrery over the expanding ballroom vision, leading McCrery to step back as lead architect last year, though he remains a consultant and maintains good relations with the president.
- After demolishing the White House’s East Wing last year, Trump aims to build the ballroom quickly and with minimal obstacles
