The Commission of Fine Arts approved President Trump’s proposed $400 million, 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, advancing the project ahead of the expected preliminary review.

•⁠ ⁠The panel’s longtime secretary reported receiving more than 2,000 public messages in one week, saying over 99% expressed opposition citing legal, preservation, and transparency concerns.

•⁠ ⁠The project still requires approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, now chaired by Trump ally Will Scharf, while a federal judge weighs legal challenges.