White House fires members of commission that is to weigh in on Trump’s construction projects

(WASHINGTON) — The White House fired all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts, which is slated to review President Donald Trump’s controversial construction projects, and will replace them with its own appointees, a White House official told ABC News.

The six members, who were appointed by former President Joe Biden, were removed Tuesday night by the White House, according to an administration official. The seventh seat on the commission had been vacated before Tuesday.

The official said the White House is “preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump’s America First Policies.”

The Washington Post first reported the move Tuesday evening.

In replacing the members of the CFA, Trump has removed a potential obstacle to the massive $300 million ballroom he is building on the White House grounds after demolishing much of the East Wing, and the ceremonial arch he wants to build.

The arch — similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris — would be built in a roundabout in front of Arlington National Cemetery at one end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial.

The president said both construction projects would be paid for by private donations.

Trump has faced questions about the legality and review process for the projects but he has provided few answers.

The Commission of Fine Arts provides the federal government “expert advice” to promote the “the federal interest and preserve the dignity of the nation’s capital.” The group is composed of seven members appointed by the president. 

The CFA has the authority to review construction projects measuring whether they match the “design and aesthetics” of Washington, D.C., but does not have approval power on projects. 

The commission’s next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20, but it is unclear if it will happen because of the ongoing government shutdown. According to the CFA website, the commission will begin accepting submissions for new projects once the government reopens. 

In addition to reviewing designs for federal construction projects, the CFA also provides feedback on coins, medals and private building projects. 

The president is not obligated to follow the CFA’s recommendation.

When President Harry Truman added a balcony to the White House, the renovation was completed over the CFA’s objections.

Federal projects in the D.C. area are typically overseen and approved by the National Capital Planning Commission, which is also led by Trump appointees. 

Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary, currently chairs the NCPC and has expressed enthusiasm for the ballroom project.

“I know the president thinks very highly of this commission, and I’m excited for us to play a role in the ballroom project when the time is appropriate for us to do so,” he said in a September meeting in which he brushed aside criticism of the White House construction from the media.

The Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to examine part of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires federal agencies to consider the effects of projects on historic properties.

The hearing was scheduled to focus on guidelines that don’t apply to the White House, but the ballroom project is expected to come up.