A White House makeover that has long raised eyebrows is now prompting questions about fire codes. The Washington Post reports that architect James McCrery II stepped away from designing President Trump's planned East Wing ballroom last fall after warning that Trump's preferred layout didn't offer enough emergency exits, fire barriers, or bathrooms for its proposed capacity—concerns that McCrery believed put it at odds with nationally recognized safety standards, according to internal documents and people familiar with the situation.
Trump's reported response when told that codes applied, in addition to saying that codes don't apply to White House builds: "I am the code." The Post details how Trump personally annotated floor plans with a Sharpie—expanding the ballroom footprint, erasing service corridors and staircases, and favoring Versailles-style flourishes, including millions in gold leaf. Unlike typical major White House projects, this one has been funneled through the Executive Residence rather than agencies like the General Services Administration, limiting outside oversight.
The White House says safety compliance has been a priority, and that "life safety issues have been addressed," denying that McCrery's exit was over code disputes. McCrery, for his part, says in a statement that "having completed the earliest designs, I stepped aside and a new firm was engaged," adding he was "truly grateful for that honor and for the rich experience of working for [Trump]."
The current architect, Shalom Baranes Associates, isn't talking. Meanwhile, the AP reports that Trump also wants to build a drone port on top of the ballroom, including "missile-bearing unmanned aerial vehicles and gun-toting troops." Trump told reporters on Tuesday that the ballroom project was ahead of schedule and under budget, "despite reports of rising costs," per Newsweek.
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