Media: Trump fires arts commission over White House ballroom, "Arc de Trump" plans

President Donald Trump has dismissed all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the independent federal body responsible for reviewing his proposed $300 million White House ballroom and the so-called ‘Arc de Trump’ monument planned for Washington DC.

According to The Washington Post, commissioners were informed of their dismissal on October 28 via email. The message stated: “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the Commission of Fine Arts is terminated, effective immediately.”

A White House official confirmed the move, telling The Guardian: “We are preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump’s America First Policies.”

The Commission of Fine Arts, founded in 1910, provides expert design and aesthetic advice to the President, Congress, and the governments of the District of Columbia and the federal agencies.

Its responsibilities include reviewing designs for national memorials and government buildings, and it is traditionally composed of professionals in art, architecture, and urban design.

There is no word yet on who will replace the dismissed members.

Trump’s decision comes as he advances two major construction projects in Washington. Earlier this month, he unveiled plans for a monumental arch near the Arlington Memorial Bridge — inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe — topped with a gold Lady Liberty statue.

Trump said the structure could be “small, medium, large,” adding: “I happen to like the large one.”

Meanwhile, work has begun on a new ballroom at the White House, with construction crews seen demolishing part of the East Wing last week. The project, reportedly financed by private donors, has sparked public backlash.

A Yahoo/YouGov poll published on October 28 found that nearly two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the ballroom plan, while about 25% express support.

By Aghakazim Guliyev