Trump's new ballroom architect has fingerprints all over D.C.
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Construction workers take down material this week where the East Wing used to connect to the White House. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
There's a new architect spearheading the White House ballroom project — and his fingerprints are already all over Washington.
The big picture: It's the latest installment in a story that's sent angry thumbs flying across Beltway group chats, and comes as President Trump's plans for the East Wing project grow larger and costlier.
Zoom in: Shalom Baranes, who runs a prolific eponymous firm out of Georgetown, is Trump's new pick. You've seen his work.
- Baranes took on the redesign of the Pentagon after 9/11, and has worked on sites like the Department of Homeland Security headquarters and the Treasury Building.
- His firm has won many awards for historical preservation.
The intrigue: Baranes is on record defending Brutalist architecture like that of the FBI's headquarters — a style Trump famously hates.
- Baranes has also been behind several splashy D.C. projects that are decidedly not in line with Trump's favored classical aesthetic. Think: City Center, the Georgetown Ritz-Carlton, the Nigerian Chancery and mega Tysons developments like The Boro.
In a Post op-ed during Trump's first administration, Baranes shared how his family came to America as refugees — and implored the administration to make its travel ban against immigrants temporary.
- His parents left Libya amid Jewish persecution for Italy in the 1950s, where Baranes was born, before they moved to the U.S.
Between the lines: Trump's hire of an immigrant to design the ballroom comes after he recently called Somali immigrants "garbage" and as D.C. sees construction delays due to worker fears amid an immigration crackdown.
What they're saying: White House spokesperson Davis Ingle tells Axios the administration is "excited" that Baranes is helping to build the "greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office."
- Baranes' "work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation's capital for decades and his experience will be a great asset."
- Baranes' office didn't respond to a request for comment.
Catch up quick: Baranes is replacing former local architect James McCrery, who clashed with Trump over the expanding scope of the project, reports the Washington Post.
- Also at issue: The small size of McCrery's firm, which typically works on churches, libraries and homes. (The two parted ways amicably, says the Post, and McCrery will remain a consultant on the project.)
What we're watching: The White House has said it'll submit the ballroom plans to the National Capital Planning Commission this month.
- The commission is now controlled by Trump appointees.
Meanwhile, there's apparently Executive Manse construction happening at night and causing friction between POTUS and FLOTUS.
- The first lady asked the president to kill the racket, the Post reports.
- His response: "Sorry, darling, that's progress."