CA, US & World
Trump Executive Order Requires Classical Style for Federal Buildings, Rejects Brutalism
President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order that reshapes the way federal buildings across the country will be designed.
The order, announced Thursday, mandates that federal buildings “embrace classical architecture” as the preferred and default style, particularly in Washington, D.C. It discourages brutalist, deconstructivist, and modernist styles unless “exceptional factors” require an alternative.
According to a White House fact sheet, the goal is to ensure federal structures are built in a way that “uplifts and beautifies public spaces” and “commands respect from the general public.” Critics of brutalism have long argued that such styles are often unpopular with Americans.
The General Services Administration will be responsible for implementing the order, while the president’s domestic policy assistant must notify him of any departures from the classical preference.
The order also highlights Trump’s ongoing influence on the nation’s capital. During his presidency, he has overseen several high-profile White House renovations, including paving over parts of the Rose Garden, adding striped umbrellas reminiscent of Mar-a-Lago, and installing large flagpoles on the South Lawn.
More significant changes are planned. Construction is set to begin in September on a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom on White House grounds. Renderings show a gilded interior featuring crystal chandeliers, Corinthian columns, a coffered ceiling with gold inlays, marble flooring, and other ornate details resembling Trump’s private club spaces.
Inside the Oval Office, gold decorative elements have also been added, reportedly crafted by artisans previously involved in work at Trump’s Palm Beach estate.
The move underscores the president’s broader vision to leave his stylistic imprint on government spaces — one that strongly favors traditional grandeur over modern minimalism.
Credit: CNN Newsource
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By: NBC Palm Springs
August 29, 2025
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