U.S. President Donald Trump has removed all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), the federal advisory body responsible for reviewing design and aesthetics for government buildings, memorials and major construction across Washington, DC. The dramatic move marks a sweeping shift in oversight of the nation’s capital as Trump seeks to redefine the city’s architectural identity around his stated goal of promoting “classical and traditional architecture.”
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According to reporting from The Washington Post, the commission members — architects Bruce Redman Becker and Peter D. Cook, landscape architect Lisa E. Delplace, and urban planners Bill J. Lenihan, Justin Garrett Moore and Hazel Ruth Edwards — were notified Tuesday that their service had been abruptly terminated.
A message sent to one commissioner from a White House personnel official reportedly said:
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the Commission of Fine Arts is terminated, effective immediately.”
All six members were Biden-era appointees serving four-year terms and were unpaid for their work.
A White House spokesperson confirmed the removal, stating:
“We are preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump’s ‘America First’ policies.”
The firings come as Trump continues planning large-scale changes to iconic federal spaces — including a massive new White House ballroom that would nearly double the size of the residence, and a triumphal arch proposed as a ceremonial entry to Arlington National Cemetery. He has also revived plans for a National Garden of American Heroes, aiming to open it ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
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Former commissioner Bruce Redman Becker defended the CFA’s work and mission:
The commission “plays an important role in shaping the way the public experiences our nation’s capital and the historic buildings it contains, which serve as symbols of our democracy”.
The CFA, established in 1910, functions as an independent agency advising the president, members of Congress and federal and DC agencies on design related to “the federal interest and the dignity of the nation’s capital.” Its purview ranges from federal buildings and new monuments to private developments located in key historic districts.
The commission’s activities are technically paused due to the ongoing government shutdown, which halted a planned October 1 meeting. Its next session — scheduled for November 20 — now awaits confirmation depending on the government’s reopening and whether new Trump-selected commissioners are in place.
This restructuring continues what critics describe as a far-reaching political pressure campaign on U.S. cultural organizations:
Supporters argue the changes are necessary to restore traditional American aesthetics and align taxpayer-funded projects with presidential priorities. Opponents warn it threatens institutional independence and injects partisan influence into the capital’s visual identity.
Originally reported by The Art NP.
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