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Roger Kimball

Roger Kimball

Art critic, conservative commentator; Member, U.S. Commission of Fine Arts

Appears in 1 story

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The White House ballroom rush hits court: preservationists ask judge to freeze Trump’s build

Built World

Appointed to CFA on January 16, 2026 to review ballroom project

At a January 22 hearing on the National Trust's preliminary injunction request, Judge Richard Leon signaled deep skepticism about Trump's authority to tear down "an icon that's a national institution" using $400 million in private donations. Leon called the funding mechanism a "Rube Goldberg contraption" and is expected to rule in February; Trump declared on Truth Social that "IT IS TOO LATE" to stop the project, claiming structural steel, marble, and bulletproof glass are already lined up.

Updated Yesterday