historic preservation groups request pause on trump ballroom at the white house 1234758573

Historic preservation groups, led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, have formally requested a pause on construction of President Donald Trump's new ballroom at the White House. Demolition began on the East Wing to make way for a 55,000-square-foot addition, which the Trust argues would overwhelm the White House's classical design and disrupt its historic fabric. The letter, sent to the National Capital Planning Commission, National Park Service, and Commission of Fine Arts, urges a halt until legally required public reviews occur. The Society of Architectural Historians and the American Institute of Architects have also voiced concerns, though none of these groups hold statutory authority to stop construction.