On August 28, Trump launched a new prong of his culture war by signing an executive order requiring federal buildings in Washington DC to maintain classical, or Greco-Roman architecture.
The executive order also discouraged Brutalism, which is a modernist style. It will also apply to federal buildings in other states; for instance, designs for new courthouses in Hartford, Connecticut and Chattanooga, Tennessee will need to follow the executive order.
Trump has a history of politically dabbling in architecture. He signed a similar executive order toward the end of his first term, but it was rescinded by former President Joe Biden. In January, the White House released a memorandum which called for federal buildings to respect “classical architectural heritage.”
The James V. Forrestal Building, containing the Department of Energy, and the Jamie L. Whitten Building, which features the Department of Agriculture, are at risk of being torn down and replaced in accordance with this preference for classical architecture.
Architecture is a matter of taste. Regardless of ones preferences, the real question should be if Trump ought to have the authority to shape Washington DC’s architecture. The feasibility of these plans is also questionable, as they can take longer than four years; if a Democrat succeeds Trump, they are likely to rescind the executive order, as Biden did.
