WaPo Editorial Board Praises Trump's 'Aggressive Approach' To Building His New Ballroom

"(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) The Washington Post Editorial Board praised President Donald Trump's aggressive approach to building his White House ballroom, even if his methods have been inelegant. In classic Trump fashion, the president is pursuing a reasonable idea in the most jarring manner possible, the Board wrote on Saturday evening, referring to the visuals of the East Wing being demolished into rubble."

"But had Trump submitted his plans ahead of time for a traditional review process instead of taking matters into his own hands, the project never would have gotten off the ground, the Board claimed. Instead, The blueprints would have faced death by a thousand papercuts. The article, titled simply In Defense of the White House Ballroom, continued: Though the fundraising for the ballroom creates problematic conflicts of interest, two examples validate Trump's aggressive approach."

"Or consider the modest Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial near the National Air and Space Museum. Congress authorized its creation in 1999. Architect Frank Gehry was selected in 2009. The NCPC rejected Gehry's initial design proposal in 2014 before approving a revised plan the next year. The Commission of Fine Arts gave its approval in 2017. The memorial wasn't opened until late 2020. By contrast, Eisenhower planned and executed D-Day in about six months."

The administration pursued an aggressive approach to build a White House ballroom, demolishing parts of the East Wing and bypassing traditional review procedures. Had plans undergone standard reviews, the project likely would have stalled under prolonged bureaucratic processes. Long delays on recent federal projects illustrate that caution: perimeter fencing upgrades after a 2014 fence jumper required multiple NCPC meetings and two years before construction began, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial took decades from authorization to opening. Fundraising for the ballroom raises conflicts of interest. Many former aides privately acknowledge the practical need for an indoor state event space beyond tents and temporary facilities.

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