All six were members of the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA). “terminated with immediate effect” by the Trump administration, the White House announced yesterday. This came before the CFA was scheduled to review plans for the East Wing Ballroom and the Arc de Triomphe proposals, both pet projects of President Trump.
Historically, both the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the CFA review plans and provide input before construction of the White House and other federal properties takes place.
The architects Bruce Redman Becker, Peter Cook and William Lenihan were dismissed by the administration; planners Justin Garrett Moore and Hazel Ruth Edwards; and landscape architect Lisa Delplace.
“We are preparing to appoint a new group of members to the Commission who will be more aligned with President Trump's America First policy,” the White House said in a statement.
CFA Chairwoman Billie Tsien resigned from her position earlier this year, saying she expected not to be reappointed by the Trump administration.
Each departed CFA member was appointed to office during the Biden administration and their terms were set to last until 2028.
The firings come not long after the Trump administration fired several members of the NCPC. In July, Trump fired Biden appointees from the NCPC and appointed Michael James Blair, Russell Vought, William Scharf and Stuart Levenbach to the commission.
The NCPC quickly went on the attack on Trump's behalf: The new nominees spoke out against Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and alleged cost overruns at the Marriner S. Eccles Building, which is currently being renovated.
Powell, appointed by Trump in his first term, opposes the White House's tariff war on China and Trump's demand for lower interest rates. Now it looks like the White House is using the renovation of the Eccles Building to oust Powell.
In addition, due to the ongoing government shutdown, the CFA'The organization's office – and that of the NCPC – have been closed since October 1st.