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.