The White House fired the six members of the Commission of Fine Arts, an independent agency that advises the president, Congress and others on matters of design and aesthetics.
The move comes as President Trump eyes significant changes for the city, including a 90,000-square-foot ballroom and a triumphal arch across from the Lincoln Memorial for America’s 250th birthday next year.
“We are preparing to appoint a new slate of members to the commission that are more aligned with President Trump’s America First Policies,” a White House official said in a statement.
The commission was established by Congress over a century ago. It’s tasked with reviewing designs for memorials, coins, medals, new or renovated buildings and some privately owned properties, according to its website, to “preserve the dignity of the nation’s capital.”
The commission is made up of seven members, but the chairmanship has been open since last year.
Former President Joseph R. Biden appointed the six members to four-year terms, some of which weren’t up until 2028.
An email was sent to the members Tuesday, telling them their position was terminated, effective immediately, according to The Washington Post.
Bruce Becker, a commission architect who was appointed last year, told The Post that the agency “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 administration also dismissed Biden-appointed members of the National Capital Planning Commission, which reviews external construction projects at the White House, in July and pushed out the board of directors at the Kennedy Center in February.
The East Wing of the White House was demolished last week to make way for Mr. Trump’s $300 million ballroom, a price tag up from the original $200 million.
The White House has said plans for the ballroom will be submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission soon. The 12-member board is made up mostly of Trump allies, including Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary, as chairman.
Mr. Biden made similar moves in 2021, firing Trump appointees from the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission.
