Trump Pushes White Paint for the Eisenhower Executive Office Building

The Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB), constructed 1871-1888, is a National Historic Landmark of French Second Empire style with granite, slate and cast-iron façades. It originally housed the State, War and Navy Departments and now contains offices for the vice president, second lady, National Security Council and other White House staff.

The IndependentAssociated PressNew York Times

President Donald Trump calls the gray granite “really bad color,” “ugly,” and says “gray is for funerals.” White House aide Will Scharf chairs the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), which will vote on the plan. Senior official Josh Fisher told the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts the administration says the stone is “stained” and in “great disrepair.” The Society of Architectural Historians argues the project would “adversely and permanently alter this important part of American heritage.” A federal lawsuit challenges the paint job.

Associated Press

• 2024: Trump labels the EEOB’s gray façade a “really bad color.”

New York Times

• April 2024: Fisher informs the Commission of Fine Arts; the commission requests paint-testing data.

The Independent

• Early May 2026: NCPC schedules a Thursday hearing.

Associated Press

• May 2026: Fine arts commission asks for paint specifications and alternatives.

Associated Press

• Ongoing: Federal lawsuit proceeds.

The Independent

Hundreds of pages of public comment to the NCPC were “overwhelmingly against” the paint job, warning that paint could trap moisture, accelerate stone decay and waste taxpayer money; commenters suggested landscaping, lighting or cleaning instead.

The Independent

NCPC staff recommend cleaning the EEOB and request data on the proposed paint, including examples of successful granite applications, and ask the White House to outline alternatives such as lighting upgrades. The Commission of Fine Arts has not yet received paint-testing results and has asked for a follow-up presentation.

The Independent

Preservationists say painting granite violates historic-preservation standards and could cause irreversible damage. The Society of Architectural Historians’ letter to Scharf stresses the risk of permanent alteration. A federal lawsuit seeks to halt the painting until the building’s historic integrity is assured.

The Independent

The administration argues cleaning cannot fix the “great disrepair,” while NCPC staff view cleaning as the preferred first step. Experts consulted by the White House could not guarantee the paint would not damage the stone, and no cost or durability data have been released.

The Independent

• “Look at that, how beautiful that is with a coat of paint.” — President Donald Trump

New York Times

• “gray is for funerals.” — President Donald Trump

New York Times

• “It was always considered an ugly building,” — President Donald Trump

New York Times

• “adversely and permanently alter this important part of American heritage and should be rejected.” — Society of Architectural Historians

The Independent

The NCPC hearing Thursday will decide whether to proceed with painting, pending the White House’s paint specifications and alternative-option analysis; the fine arts commission will review the additional data, and the pending lawsuit may affect the outcome.

Associated Press