{"id":2576128,"date":"2026-03-04T16:30:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T21:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-ballroom-planning-committee-expecting-massive-backlash\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T16:33:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T21:33:03","slug":"trump-ballroom-planning-committee-expecting-massive-backlash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-ballroom-planning-committee-expecting-massive-backlash\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump ballroom planning committee expecting massive backlash"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-ballroom-planning-committee-expecting-massive-backlash%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2576128&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The National Capital Planning Commission released more than 9,000 pages of public comments opposing President Trump\u2019s $400 million White House ballroom project ahead of a Thursday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pennsylvania-state-senate-plans-meeting-to-air-complaints-of-voter-fraud\/\" title=\"Pennsylvania State Senate Plans ... to Air Complaints of Voter Fraud\">public hearing<\/a>, while a separate NCPC document summarized over 32,000 comments from politicians, architects, preservationists, and ordinary citizens\u2014most opposed to the project and citing concerns about logistics, process, and the destruction of a historic landmark. The U.S. Commission on Fine Arts and the NCPC have been overseeing the project, and the CFA approved the ballroom in January; the upcoming NCPC meeting will include a public hearing with about 100 participants expected to testify virtually. Critics, including architects like larysa Kurylas, urged design changes such as reducing the ballroom\u2019s size and height and adding the First Lady\u2019s office to the West Wing. Some attendees are also directing criticism at NCPC Chairman Will Scharf, with prepared testimonies accusing him of being complicit in dismantling a national monument. Despite widespread opposition, observers expect the vote to move forward, aided by Trump\u2019s recent reshuffling of NCPC members who are allied with his management. The ballroom is planned as a two-story, 22,000-square-foot space capable of seating 1,000 at dinners, with room for the First Lady\u2019s office and an updated movie theater, even as public comments continue highlighting concerns about preserving the East Wing and historic integrity.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Planning committee expecting outrage at White House ballroom meeting after 9,000 pages of negative comments<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2521947\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The National Capital Planning Commission released more than 9,000 pages of public comments opposing President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump&rsquo;s<\/a> $400 million ballroom project ahead of a Thursday public hearing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Commission on Fine Arts and the NCPC are overseeing the controversial ballroom&rsquo;s construction. In January, the Trump-stacked CFA approved the ballroom. The NCPC&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncpc.gov\/projects\/8733\/\">Thursday meeting<\/a> will include a public hearing, with about 100 people &mdash; including architects, preservation experts, and ordinary citizens &mdash; expected to testify virtually.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4480856\/watch-live-trump-ratepayer-protection-pledge\/\">WATCH LIVE: Trump participates in &#8216;Ratepayer Protection Pledge&#8217; electricity costs event<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4480403\/karoline-leavitt-kaitlan-collins-spar-iran\/\">Karoline Leavitt and CNN&#8217;s Kaitlan Collins spar over media bias on Iran<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4480626\/trump-attend-dignified-transfer-six-us-members-killed-iran\/\">Trump to attend dignified transfer of six US <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/at-least-10-us-service-members-now-reported-killed-in-kabul-bombings-death-toll-likely-to-rise\/\" title=\"At Least 10 US Service Members Now Reported Killed In Kabul Bombings, \u2018Death Toll Likely To Rise\u2019\">service members killed<\/a> by Iran<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Work continues on the construction of the ballroom at the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Washington, where the East Wing once stood. (AP Photo\/Jose Luis Magana)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncpc.gov\/docs\/actions\/2026March\/8733_East_Wing_Modernization_Project_Staff_Report_Mar2026.pdf\">staff report<\/a> prior to the meeting acknowledged that a substantial number of public comments opposed the project. Despite this, the report recommended moving ahead with the project.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, the NCPC released a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncpc.gov\/files\/projects\/2026\/8733_East_Wing_Modernization_Project_Public_Comments_1_Mar2026.pdf\">document outlining<\/a> more than 32,000 comments from politicians, architects, preservation experts, and regular citizens. The vast majority of comments opposed the project. Most concerns centered on logistics, the subversion of the approval process, and the destruction of a historic landmark.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The document included a letter from last October written by Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), co-chair of the Congressional Historic Preservation Caucus. Turner expressed his concerns about the East Wing demolition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The stark images of the East Wing demolished in mere days were deeply disturbing to Americans who cherish preservation of our nation&rsquo;s history,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncpc.gov\/files\/projects\/2026\/8733_East_Wing_Modernization_Project_Public_Comments_2_Mar2026.pdf\">he wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>There were hardly any supportive comments in the document. Larysa Kurylas, a Washington, D.C.-based architect, strongly opposed the ballroom. &ldquo;I do not think that a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >gargantuan gold-encrusted ballroom represents<\/a> the values that the United States was founded upon,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncpc.gov\/files\/projects\/2026\/8733_East_Wing_Modernization_Project_Public_Comments_2_Mar2026.pdf\">she wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In that same letter, Kurylas offered several design recommendations to the NCPC. Suggestions included reducing the size of the ballroom by half, reducing the height of the ballroom to one story, and adding the first lady&rsquo;s office to the West Wing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>At Thursday&rsquo;s meeting, some are expected to take aim at Chairman Will Scharf, White House staff secretary and Trump&rsquo;s former personal lawyer. &ldquo;You are complicit in the destruction of a national monument,&rdquo; wrote one person in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncpc.gov\/docs\/actions\/2026March\/8733_Terry_Burstein_Testimony.pdf\">prepared testimony<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4480750\/gop-trump-cornyn-president-teases-decision\/\">GOP BEGS TRUMP TO ENDORSE CORNYN AS PRESIDENT TEASES DECISION &lsquo;SOON&rsquo;<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Despite the public&rsquo;s plethora of negative comments, the vote is expected to pass. Last July, Trump stacked the NCPC with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncpc.gov\/news\/item\/252\/2\/\">three new members<\/a>, all White House officials.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The ballroom is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncpc.gov\/docs\/actions\/2026March\/8733_East_Wing_Modernization_Project_Staff_Report_Mar2026.pdf\">slated<\/a> to be two stories, 22,000 square feet, and be able to hold 1,000 seated dinner guests. It will also have room for the first lady&rsquo;s office and an updated movie theater.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Outcry at White House ballroom hearing over 9k comments<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4195,"featured_media":2576129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP25323674159026_774918.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4265,65586,75087,5894,3634],"class_list":["post-2576128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-backlash","tag-ballroom","tag-planning-committee","tag-politics","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP25323674159026_774918.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4195"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2576128"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2576132,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576128\/revisions\/2576132"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2576129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2576128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2576128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2576128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}