Rep. Jamie Raskin will introduce the "People's White House Historic Preservation Act," requiring Section 106 historic reviews and mandatory consultation with advisory commissions for White House renovations, including President Trump’s proposed 90,000‑sq‑ft, $300M ballroom. The measure follows the East Wing demolition in October and limited formal scrutiny of ballroom plans. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to halt construction; an initial hearing is set for Tuesday in Washington.
Raskin Seeks Law Requiring Historic Reviews For White House Renovations — Targets Trump Ballroom
Demolition of the East Wing of the White House, during construction on the new ballroom extension of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 9, 2025. / Credit: Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.) plans to introduce legislation that would require White House renovation projects — including President Trump’s planned ballroom — to undergo the same historic-preservation reviews applied to other federal undertakings.
The proposed "People's White House Historic Preservation Act" would mandate a Section 106 review, the pre‑groundbreaking assessment used to evaluate how changes to federally owned historic properties may affect their character and to provide a public comment opportunity.
The bill follows demolition of the East Wing in late October and ongoing work on a privately financed, 90,000‑square‑foot ballroom addition estimated at roughly $300 million. Although the White House released renderings, the ballroom plans have seen limited formal scrutiny.
"Sir, this is the White House, you're the president of the United States, you can do anything you want," Mr. Trump has recounted being told — a comment Raskin says illustrates how quickly the project moved forward.
Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, told CBS News the episode underscores a public‑vs‑private distinction: "It's not his house; it's our house. And if there is going to be construction, renovation, expansion or changes, that should go through a regular public process."
The White House maintains the president has "full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House." In a court filing, the administration said consultations "will soon be underway" with the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the Commission of Fine Arts — two independent advisory bodies that review federal projects in the Washington area — while adding it is not legally required to confer with them. The filing also said above‑ground ballroom work would not begin before April at the earliest.
Raskin’s bill would make consultations with both commissions mandatory prior to any ground‑breaking. NCPC chairman Will Scharf, who also serves on White House staff, has said the commission oversees visible architecture and new construction rather than demolition or site preparation, which is why NCPC did not require submission of the East Wing demolition plans.
Raskin argues that leveling the East Wing without a review process violated federal rules protecting historic and federal property, though he acknowledges criminal prosecution of a sitting president is unlikely. As introduced, the legislation has 27 Democratic co‑sponsors and faces long odds in a House controlled by Republicans.
Separately, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed suit last week seeking to halt ballroom construction, arguing the public must have an opportunity to weigh in on changes to the White House grounds. The administration has countered that the suit is moot because demolition has already occurred. An initial hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in Washington.
Why it matters: The bill would close an oversight gap by subjecting White House renovation projects to established historic‑preservation reviews and public input, setting precedent for how future presidents may proceed with changes to one of the nation’s most symbolic public properties.
