WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has submitted plans to paint the stone facade of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building white, according to documents filed with the Commission of Fine Arts on Friday.
The proposal, prepared by the General Services Administration on behalf of the White House, includes renderings showing the French Second Empire-style building — currently slate gray — repainted bright white. It argues that the existing color and design do not align visually with surrounding architecture, including the White House, and that the building has suffered from poor maintenance and cracks in the exterior, CBS News and other outlets reported.
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building, completed in 1888 and designated a national historic landmark in 1969, houses offices for senior White House staff, including the National Security Council. It stands adjacent to the West Wing across a driveway from the White House.
The filing states that painting the stone would provide a “repeatable” maintenance solution. Trump has previously described the building as an “eyesore” and said “gray is for funerals,” according to earlier interviews and reports.
The Commission of Fine Arts, which includes Trump appointees, is scheduled to review the proposal next week. The plans were submitted despite a lawsuit filed last year by the D.C. Preservation League and Cultural Heritage Partners challenging any unilateral changes to the historic structure. That suit argued that painting the granite facade could cause permanent damage and requires review under historic preservation laws. The administration had previously agreed not to proceed with physical work before early 2026.
As of Saturday, it remained unclear whether the proposal includes full cost estimates or a detailed timeline for the project. Outcomes of the Commission of Fine Arts review are advisory. No immediate response was available from preservation groups or the General Services Administration beyond the submitted documents.
