President Donald Trump has taken a wrecking ball to an independent federal agency tasked with reviewing his massive construction projects.
The White House has terminated all members of the Commission of Fine Arts,
whose job it is to advise the president, Congress, and local governments on “matters of design and aesthetics.”
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the Commission on Fine Arts is terminated, effective immediately,” read an email sent to one of the commissioners and obtained by
The Washington Post, which first reported the firings.
The CFA is composed of seven members, but one seat has been vacant. Commissioners are appointed by the president and serve four-year terms without compensation.
President Joe Biden appointed Peter Cook, Hazel Edwards, Justin Moore, and Billie Tsien in
2021, as well as Bruce Becker and William Lenihan in
2024. Tsien resigned earlier this year because her term expired in May and she did not expect Trump to reappoint her, according to the
Post.
The commission reviews proposed designs for memorials, government buildings, coins, medals, and privately owned properties in certain parts of Washington, “as they affect the federal interest and preserve the dignity of the nation’s capital.”
