By Arden Farhi
Senior White House Producer
March 3, 2026 / 6:00 AM EST / CBS News
When the National Capital Planning Commission meets later this week, commissioners are widely expected to approve President Trump’s proposed East Wing ballroom. The decision, however, comes amid a wave of public skepticism: scores of speakers and tens of thousands of written comments oppose the nearly 90,000-square-foot addition.
About 100 people have signed up to speak at Thursday’s meeting, including architects, preservation specialists and neighborhood residents. The speaker list includes Carol Quillen, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has filed a lawsuit seeking to pause construction on the project.
NCPC said it has received more than 32,000 written comments — nearly 10,000 pages — and that the “vast majority” oppose the plans. Critics have zeroed in on the ballroom’s size, its private financing, and the lack of congressional oversight. “To take the People’s House and turn it into a monstrosity such as that is incredibly ridiculous,” wrote one commenter, Susan Ruiz. Several others pointed to the rapid demolition of parts of the original East Wing.
Staff from NCPC who reviewed the submission are recommending that commissioners approve “the preliminary and final site and building plans,” while suggesting only minor, nonbinding changes to landscape elements and the columns on the south facade. The Commission of Fine Arts, another review body with members appointed by the president, granted both preliminary and final design approval in February after a short review.
A vote is expected Thursday afternoon. The agency’s normally in-person monthly meeting has been moved online. Some preservation advocates and commenters have criticized the speed of the review, noting past White House renovation efforts have sometimes gone through months or years of scrutiny by multiple panels.
“This is a very concrete example of what happens when we have a leader who thinks he’s above the rules,” wrote Katherine Wyman. “He lives to thumb his nose at civility and the rule of law.”
If NCPC votes to approve the plans, no additional regulatory approvals would be required before construction proceeds. Administration officials say vertical construction could begin as soon as April.