White House ballroom: Trump looks to ram his vanity project through planning process

 

Photo:  Washington Post

Headline:  Washington Post, 12/31/2025 

Jonathan Edwards and Dan Diamond report:

The Trump administration said it formally submitted applications on Dec. 22 to two committees charged by Congress with reviewing federal construction: the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, according to a White House official. Three days earlier, White House officials met separately with staff from each commission for initial consultations. 

The White House has laid out a plan to move the project through approval processes in just over two months — a timeline far shorter than that for comparable large-scale federal construction projects. Officials said they plan informational presentations at the NCPC’s Jan. 8 meeting and the CFA’s Jan. 15 meeting, followed by votes at the fine arts commission on Feb. 19 and the planning commission on March 5.

Related posts:

December 2025

White House ballroom vanity project:  Mainstream media leaves it to specialist to explain drone-free roof.   (12/30)

Trump unprecedented destruction.  (12/30)

“East Wing Modernization Project" on agenda for 1/8/2026 meeting of National Capital Planning Commission.  (12/28)

And the lawsuits just keep on comin'!  (12/24)

National Trust for Historic Preservative chair Carol Quillen doesn't seem to get the fact that Will Scharf and his fellow toadies were appointed to be Trump's mouthpieces.  (11/22)

What contractor in his right mind is willing to take on this fraught project?  (12/18)

So now it's a matter of national security!  (12/15)

White House ballroom:  AIA architects to Shalom Baranes, "Don't do it!"  (12/13)

USA Today reminds us that Sleepy Don's pile driver anecdote was pure bullshit.  (12/12)

New photos show ongoing demolition and site preparation at site of latest Trump vanity project.  (12/10)

With Donald Trump, it's just one scam after another.  (12/7)

Quote from Shalom Baranes, Trump's new White House ballroom architect:  "My work would be impossible without my fellow immigrants".  (12/7)

Archinect News thinks Donald Trump and Shalom Baranes are a weird pairing.  (12/7)

White House ballroom price tag:  $200 million.  $300 million.  $350 million.  Do I hear $400 million?  (12/7)

Washington Business Journal editor-in-chief puzzles out why Shalom Baranes accepted White House ballroom commission.  (12/6)

Trump sez au revoir to McCrery Architects.  (12/5)

Above the law and all of those pesky building codes:  Trump tries to steamroll his way through the White House ballroom planning process.  (12/4)

White House Ballroom correction:  This is not construction; its demolition and site preparation. (12/4)

Sleepy Don sends a shot across the bow to White House ballroom architect James McCrery II (12/1)

November 2025

White House East Wing hallway will not be decorated for Christmas this year.  (11/30)

Portrait of a Sleepy and Insecure Man.  (11/30)

Compensation Chronicles:   Donald Trump ballroom design keeps getting bigger and bigger! (11/29)

White House ballroom vanity project:  Meet the Trump toadies serving on the National Capital Planning Commission.  (11/26)

Sleepy Don feuds with White House ballroom architect. (11/26)

Operations and maintenance costs for Trump's gilded ballroom will be paid for by taxpayers.  (11/25)

Why did demolition of the East Wing of White House proceed without formal review?  Ask Will Scharf, Assistant to the President and White House Staff Secretary.  (11/18)

White House Ballroom oversight gaps emerge: Let us count the ways  (Part 1:  National Capital Planning Commission).  (11/18)

That's assuming it even gets built by the end of 2028.  (11/16)

What did Donald Trump know about the demolition of the East Wing of White House and when did he know it?  (11/2)

What did Clark Construction know about the demolition of the East Wing of White House and when did they know it?.  (11/2) 

Wisconsin GOP leadership: Child care, fuggedaboudit! Online gaming, YEE-HAW!!

 

Headline:  State Affairs

JR Ross reports:

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told WisPolitics his chamber likely will pass legislation to allow online gaming in Wisconsin, though the final version of the bill may differ from the one abruptly pulled from a floor calendar last month. 

During a year-end interview in his Assembly office, the Rochester Republican said his colleagues have expressed two concerns. 

One is that only Native American tribes are allowed to offer gaming, an issue that Vos acknowledged lawmakers can do little about in the near term. 

The second is the proliferation of gaming beyond just the outcome of a contest and now including numerous prop bets that can be placed about various facets of a game. That includes which team scores first or the number of walks a pitcher issues in a baseball game.

Related posts:

2025

WIsconsin GOP leadership wants women to have more babies but their concerned end at birth.  (11/19)

Here's the Wisconsin GOP view of child care. (8/13)

Wisconsin GOP continues to play around with families' lives when it comes to funding child care.  (6/23)

Robin Vos feels some intense warmth in the seat of his pants.  (6/10)

These guys take their marching orders from Dear Leader Vos.  The budget hearings are strictly performative. (6/5)

Wisconsin GOP continues to ignore child care crisis.  (5/11)

2024

Refusing to address the state's most pressing problems -- child care, affordable housing, to name two -- Wisconsin GOP Senate throws a collective hissy fit over DEI.  (3/13)

2023

White male GOP leadership in Wisconsin ignores child care crisis.  (9/20)

Wisconsin GOP leadership offers child care proposal based on mansplaining.  (9/5)

Wisconsin GOP comes up with a laughably inadequate plan to address child care crisis.  (8/31)

The next time the Wisconsin GOP talks about supporting hard-working families, ask them about their lack of support for child care.  (6/17)

Wisconsin GOP legislative leader dismiss the need for state support of child care.  (5/27)

Another State Street Stalwart bites the dust: Himal Chuli

 

Photo:  Wisconsin State Journal

Headline:  Capital Times, 1/1/2026

Lindsay Christians reports:

Krishna Pradhan, now 86, came to Madison to work as a part-time lecturer in linguistics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He and his wife, Bishnu Pradhan, started Himal Chuli as a food cart in 1981 and opened the State Street storefront five years later. 

The restaurant became known as a haven for vegetarians. It served students, tourists and locals bowls of tarkari, a fresh vegetable stew cooked with tumeric, coriander, cumin, fresh garlic and ginger; momo (or momocha), dumplings served in a tomato coriander sauce; and samosas, potato-stuffed pastries with peas.

Other State Street posts:

2025

Its about time:  Spiffing up the 100 block of State Street.  (6/16/)

2024

Another State Street stalwart bites the dust:  Paul’s Book Store.  (11/27)

Nick's Restaurant closing on May 11 after 65 years in business.  (4/22)

2021

The Pipefitter, a State Street Stalwart for nearly 50 years, is going out of business.  (4/23)

2020
Paul's Books.  (6/16/2020)

2019
State Street Stalwarts.  (12/10/2019)
Another empty storefront to appear on State Street in Madison WI.  (5/17/2019)
UPDATE: Boutique or not boutique? That is the question.  (4/8/2019)
UPDATE: Last house standing on State Street: You can't paint it black.  (4/2/2019)
Madison Then and Now: 652 State Street.  (3/5/2019)
This State Street Stalwart is now in its 64th year of business.  (1/1/2019)

2018
Three Dog Night is touring.  (12/26/2018)
No, Warby Parker is not a bookstore whose shelves have yet to be delivered.  (12/26/2018)

2016
A brightly lit, empty restaurant interior.  (1/15/2016)
This restaurant opening is overdue.  (1/15/2016)

2015
Another State Street stalwart is closing its doors for good.  (9/26/2015)
A State Street stalwart closes up shop.  (7/30/2015)
UPDATE:  State Street Stalwarts, 6 years later.  (2/1/2015)

2014
State Street Stalwart Going Out of Business: Shakti (1971-2014).  (1/4/2014)