Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Major Shakeup in Federal Design Oversight
The White House has terminated all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the independent federal agency that advises the president and Congress on design plans for monuments, memorials, coins, and federal buildings. This seven-member commission comprises experts in architecture, art, urban design, and landscape design.
Since its establishment in 1910, the commission has reviewed designs for significant projects ranging from Arlington National Cemetery to Maya Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Who Was Fired?
The terminated commissioners, as first reported by The Washington Post, include:
- Bruce Redman Becker
- Peter D. Cook
- Lisa E. Delplace
- William J. Lenihan
- Justin Garrett Moore
- Hazel Ruth Edwards (vice chair)
The chair position, now vacant, was held by Billie Tsien, one of the architects working on the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. William Lenihan confirmed via email to NPR that all six were terminated "effective immediately."
White House Justification
In an email to NPR, the White House stated it is "preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump's America First Policies."
Impact on Upcoming Projects
The commissioners would have advised President Trump on his anticipated White House ballroom renovation and his plans for a monument similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, intended to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Architect Bruce Redman Becker noted that "Neither project has been submitted for review yet."
Historical Context and Precedents
President Trump has not yet announced the new commissioners. During his first term, Justin Shubow, founder and president of the National Civic Art Society, served as chair, and White House ballroom architect James McCrery was a commissioner.
In 2021, President Biden fired four commissioners appointed by Trump, including Shubow. Both Trump and Shubow are known champions of traditional and classical architecture.
The White House has not responded to NPR's additional requests for comment.
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