president Donald Trump The 26-year-old usher has been appointed to the arts committee to oversee construction of the White House ballroom.
Thursday, Chamberlain Harris About to be sworn in to the Fine Arts Council. Historically, the committee has been responsible for advising on major design projects implemented by the Presidential Palace. Harris, washington post A report on Tuesday noted that he does not possess the arts expertise traditionally associated with committee appointees. However, the 26-year-old has been in Trump’s inner circle since his first term, when she served as an executive assistant. She continued to work for Trump after he left office and now serves as deputy director of Oval Office operations.
Despite lacking formal experience in the field, White House communications director Zhang Zhiwei Tell washington post In a statement, Harris “understands the president’s vision and appreciation for the arts like no one else and brings a unique perspective that will serve the committee well.” The White House also praised her as a “loyal, trusted and respected adviser” to Trump.
Those who previously served on the committee were less enthusiastic. The report continues:
“This is catastrophic,” said Alex KriegerAn architect and professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, he was selected to the commission by President Barack Obama in 2012 and re-elected in the first Trump administration. “Some of these people are simply not qualified to assess design, architecture or urban planning issues.”
Past committee members include Billie Qianan architect currently working at the Obama Library, and Perry GilotA landscape architect who redesigned the White House Rose Garden during Trump’s first term.
Witold Rybczynski, An architect who was selected to the Fine Arts Commission by President George W. Bush and re-elected under Obama wrote in an email that President Joe Biden is also reshaping the commission by firing Trump appointees before the end of his term. He also noted that previous presidents also appointed political appointees and lesser-known experts to the panel.
“Levels of expertise…vary,” Rybczynski wrote in an email.
Harris will be sworn in the same day the commission holds a vote to determine whether the ballroom project can move forward. The president controversially demolished the entire East Wing of the White House, prompting the National Trust for Historic Preservation to step in and try to block the project.
