Trump's $7.5M Plan to Whitewash Eisenhower Building Draws Fire

Over 2,000 public comments opposed the Trump administration's proposal to paint the Eisenhower Executive Office Building's granite exterior white, citing irreversible damage. The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) reviewed the plan on May 7, 2026, after the US Commission of Fine Arts endorsed it on April 16, pending technical testing. The DC Preservation League and Cultural Heritage Partners filed a lawsuit in November 2025, later withdrawn after the General Services Administration paused work until March 2026. Architects and preservationists warned that paint traps moisture, degrading the 1871-1888 National Historic Landmark. Project manager Ryan Erb estimated $7.5 million for painting alone, excluding cleaning and gate renovations. The NCPC unanimously demanded more information on paint safety before proceeding. The controversy parallels the Lincoln Memorial Reflective Pool's $13.1 million blue paint job, far exceeding its initial $1.8 million cost.