Trump hires new White House ballroom architect

⭐ Join our community and access the best we offer!

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: President Donald Trump has replaced architect James McCrery II with Shalom Baranes for the design of the new White House ballroom
• The shift comes after McCrery’s firm, due to its size and capacity limitations, struggled to meet deadlines and Trump's increasing demands for the project's scale
• The $300 million ballroom, set to hold up to 1,000 guests, marks one of the most significant changes to the White House in decades

🔭 The context: McCrery's firm, a small boutique operation, was chosen for the project despite concerns that it lacked the necessary resources for a task of such magnitude
• The new architect, Shalom Baranes, is well-established in Washington, known for his work on major government buildings, and will now take over a project that involves complex logistics and political scrutiny

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The scale of the ballroom construction raises environmental concerns, particularly regarding the demolition of existing structures, the use of private funding, and the lack of transparency in the process
• Historic preservationists and lawmakers argue that the project could set a dangerous precedent for bypassing necessary reviews, potentially impacting the White House’s historical and environmental integrity

⏭️ What's next: The project will now undergo further planning under Baranes’ direction, with the White House planning to submit the ballroom’s final designs for review by the National Capital Planning Commission by the end of 2025
• However, continued public criticism over the lack of transparency and the project's environmental impact is expected

💬 One quote: “There ought to be a right on the part of a member of Congress to seek a court order stopping this kind of absolutely atrocious destruction.” — Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut

📈 One stat: The White House ballroom project is estimated to cost $300 million, with seating for up to 1,000 guests

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance — carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies

Click for more news covering the latest on public governance