Trump appoints OMB counsel Mark Paoletta to lead White House ballroom commission

Donald Trump named Mark Paoletta, the general counsel for the Office of Management and Budget, as the new chairman of the commission that directs the White House ballroom renovation, taking over from Will Scharf. The panel, formally the National Capital Planning Commission, oversees a wide array of federal building projects across the District of Columbia and has become more visible as Trump pursues extensive capital-beautification measures, including monument refurbishments and statue cleaning.

The ballroom undertaking has faced legal challenges from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argues that the president lacks the statutory power for such a large-scale alteration. Nonetheless, construction has restarted after Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily suspended the injunction while litigation proceeds. The move signals Trump’s continued focus on reshaping prominent national landmarks.