The Trump administration has proposed painting the granite Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., white. The National Capital Planning Commission met on May 7, 2026, to review the plan, which was also submitted to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on April 16. That commission approved the idea conditionally, pending successful paint testing. The project, estimated to cost $7.5 million, has drawn over 2,000 public comments, most negative.
This matters because the Eisenhower Executive Office Building is a historic landmark, built between 1871 and 1888, and has never been painted. Preservationists and architects warn that painting its granite exterior could cause long-term damage and require constant maintenance. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration's efforts to alter the White House complex and historic preservation standards, especially given that both reviewing agencies have been stacked with Trump supporters and are expected to eventually approve the proposal.