A federal panel reviewing Donald Trump's planned $400 million ballroom addition to the White House has postponed an expected vote on the project until next month, citing thousands of negative public comments. The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) was scheduled to cast a final vote on Thursday, but the commission's chair, Will Scharf, announced at the meeting's outset that the vote would now be held on April 2, due to the "large amount of public input" received during the comment period.
Prior to the meeting, the commission released over 9,000 pages of public comments on the project, with more than 35,000 individuals having submitted written feedback. The majority opposed Trump's plans to construct a 90,000 sq ft ballroom where the East Wing of the White House once stood and condemned the demolition of the East Wing, which began in October. White House officials had previously argued that the demolition did not require commission approval, stating they would present construction plans to the proper bodies.
A recent analysis by the New York Times found that over 98% of approximately 32,000 submitted comments opposed the plan, with respondents describing the proposed design as "gaudy and cheap." Later on Thursday, NBC reported that Scharf disputed claims of a delay, asserting that the commission's plan "has been to proceed to a final vote on this project on April 2 for quite some time." A White House official also stated that the commission had "always" intended to vote at its next gathering.
In a statement to the New York Times, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the negative comments "are clearly stemming from an organized campaign of Trump-deranged liberals who clearly have no style or taste." The postponed vote occurs as Trump has appointed allies to positions on the NCPC commission, raising concerns about potential bias in the approval process. Earlier this week, the NCPC executive director recommended approval of the project.
Historic preservationist groups have filed lawsuits in an attempt to halt the project. In December, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block construction, arguing that the administration violated multiple laws by tearing down parts of the White House "without any review whatsoever." A federal judge declined to temporarily halt construction last week, but the group plans to file an amended lawsuit, highlighting ongoing legal challenges.
Source: www.theguardian.com