Trump picks four allies for Commission of Fine Arts to review White House ballroom

President Trump has appointed four new members to the Commission of Fine Arts, the independent agency set to review his plans for a large new White House ballroom.

The appointees include Mary Anne Carter, who leads the National Endowment for the Arts and is described as an ally of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles; Roger Kimball, an art critic and conservative writer who has praised the president; Matthew Taylor; and James McCrery, the first architect on the ballroom project. Mr. McCrery, who stepped back last year as the main architect amid the president’s expanding vision for the project, remains a consultant and, according to a White House official, is still on good terms with Mr. Trump. Through a representative, Mr. McCrery did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The appointments follow the surprise demolition of the White House’s East Wing last year and Mr. Trump’s earlier firing of all six members of the commission last October, when he promised to appoint new members who shared his “America First” agenda. The commission, which advises the government on design matters, is set to review the ballroom project once the new members are seated. The administration has faced legal pressure from historic preservationists, and a federal judge allowed the project to proceed after the administration pledged to undergo the commission’s review.

Key Topics

Politics, Donald Trump, White House Ballroom, Fine Arts Commission, Mary Anne Carter, Susie Wiles