President Donald Trump has appointed his 26-year-old executive assistant, Chamberlain Harris, as the newest member of the Commission of Fine Arts, a key panel tasked with overseeing his contentious White House ballroom project. Harris, who serves as deputy director of Oval Office operations, will be officially sworn in during Thursday's meeting of the commission, which is one of two regulatory bodies required to greenlight the ambitious scheme.
Loyalty Over Experience in Key Appointment
According to a Washington Post report, Harris did not study art or architecture during her college years. She majored in political science at the University of Albany, SUNY, with minors in communications and economics. What she may lack in formal artistic credentials, however, she reportedly makes up for in unwavering loyalty to the president.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung described Harris to the Daily Mail as 'loyal, trusted and highly respected.' He elaborated, 'She understands the President's vision and appreciation of the arts like very few others, and brings a unique perspective that will serve the Commission well. She will be a tremendous asset.'
Strategic Stacking of Oversight Commissions
Harris's appointment follows a pattern of strategic placements by the Trump administration. In January, Trump hastily named seven members to the Commission of Fine Arts after dismissing all remaining panel members the previous October. This move appears part of a broader effort to ensure favorable oversight for the ballroom project.
Trump had already begun aligning the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) – the other body required to approve the project – with allies. He appointed White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf as chairman of the NCPC. Scharf has argued that the NCPC oversees construction rather than demolitions, providing legal justification for the October destruction of the White House East Wing.
Legal Challenges and Controversial Funding
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit against Trump, contending that he should have sought approval from both the Commission of Fine Arts and the NCPC before demolishing the East Wing. A ruling is anticipated shortly, with the Washington Post noting that the federal judge has focused on the use of private donations to fund the estimated $400 million project. This funding approach potentially bypasses the need for Congressional authorization.
Alongside Harris, Trump also appointed James C. McCrery, the ballroom's original architect, to the commission. McCrery later transferred the project to Shalom Baranes Associates, a firm renowned for large federal constructions. Despite the handover, the current designs remain based on McCrery's initial work, and he maintains a close relationship with the president.
Commission Composition and Meeting Dynamics
The Commission of Fine Arts is chaired by Georgia-based architect Rodney Mims Cook Jr., who has expressed support for the ballroom project. Other members include:
- Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and a close ally of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles
- Conservative writer Roger Kimball
- Former HUD deputy secretary Pamela Hughes Patenaude
- MAGA-aligned filmmaker and sculptor Matthew Taylor
Thursday's meeting – Harris's inaugural session – will be conducted exclusively via Zoom rather than in person. A source familiar with the commission's operations suggested this decision was deliberate, noting, 'The meeting is Zoom-only even though chairman Rodney Cook said at the last meeting he wanted the commission to meet in person. Of course, this helps avoid trouble from the public and press.'
Project Specifications and Opposition
Shalom Baranes Associates will present detailed ballroom plans at both Thursday's Commission of Fine Arts meeting and the NCPC's March 5 gathering. The designs depict a structure as tall as the White House residence, with a footprint approximately three times larger than the current West Wing. The ballroom extends significantly further onto the South Lawn than the demolished East Wing did.
During the first NCPC meeting discussing the ballroom, protesters from Common Cause gathered outside the group's Washington headquarters. Inside, the sole dissenting voice came from Phil Mendelson, an NCPC member and chairman of the D.C. City Council, who stated, 'I'm concerned about the significant overwhelming of the original historic building.'
Expected Smooth Approval Process
The source familiar with the Commission of Fine Arts expressed doubt that the project would encounter substantial resistance from either oversight body, remarking, 'They're all loyalists. They're not going to pick a fight with Trump.' This sentiment underscores the administration's apparent success in staffing these commissions with sympathetic figures who are likely to advance the president's architectural vision without significant opposition.
Harris's career trajectory highlights her close ties to Trump. After graduating from college, she went directly into the first Trump administration, worked for the president during his time out of office, and returned to the White House in January of last year. Her rapid ascent to a position overseeing a major federal arts project, despite her limited relevant background, illustrates the administration's prioritization of loyalty and alignment with presidential objectives over traditional qualifications.
