A decade-plus of bipartisan work to build a Smithsonian women's history museum on the Mall is dead — at least for the moment — killed by a Republican amendment adding anti-trans language and handing Trump control over the site www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...

Scoop: Inside look at unusual government contracting maneuvers re: the Triumphal Arch to "align with the Administration’s timeline" as Trump tries to leave his physical mark on the nation's capital. From @Blaskey_S and @jocwapo www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...

Insight into what's happening behind the scenes with contracts on one of the many White House-led projects as President Trump tries to leave his physical mark on the nation's capital. From Sarah Blaskey and Jonathan O'Connell

Historic preservationists sued to stop Trump's White House ballroom. A judge ordered it halted. But the administration appealed, and the first parts are now rising aboveground amid a legal battle & congressional fight over who pays w @ddiamonds1982.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

President Trump's unceasing drive for his White House ballroom, a legally embattled project that polls show is broadly unpopular. w Cat Zakrzewski and @iarnsdorf.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Excited to announce I'm the new arts and government reporter at @washingtonpost.com covering the Smithsonian, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, etc — and how the Trump administration is reshaping those institutions to rewrite the American story. Tips welcome: Signal jle.11

After a gunman charged toward the president at the White House correspondents' dinner, Trump and conservative allies said it proved the need for his $400 million White House ballroom. But it's not clear the dinner would even be held there. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

SCOOP: Trump's secret contract for White House ballroom fundraising shielded donors and excluded White House from conflict-of-interest safeguards. It took a lawsuit from @publiccitizen.bsky.social and a judge's order to make it public. w @ddiamond.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Planning commission APPROVES President Trump's White House ballroom project www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Exclusive: A White House official asked an independent planning commission to soften language about its own authority over Trump's ballroom project — and it complied, records show. The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the project this afternoon. w @ddiamond.bsky.social

A federal judge halted Trump’s ballroom construction until he gets congressional authorization. But Trump isn’t inclined to seek Congress’s OK — and they don’t appear inclined to give it. with @jonathanreports.bsky.social @theodoricmeyer.bsky.social @mariannasotomayor.bsky.social

Exclusive: As GOP leaders rushed to defend Trump's decision to tear down the East Wing, one Republican lawmaker privately warned a senior White House aide that he had “substantial concerns” and demanded answers about how the decision was made. w @ddiamond.bsky.social

A federal arts commission — packed with Trump allies, including his 26-year-old executive assistant — voted this morning to approve the president's planned White House ballroom building. w @ddiamond.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Trump picks his 26-year-old receptionist for a federal commission set to vote on his planned White House ballroom. The White House says she's qualified. Past commissioners say Trump is flouting Congress's intent for panel. w @ddiamond.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

President Donald Trump is digging in on his ambitious plans for the White House ballroom project despite concerns from a federal judge, members of two review panels and historic preservationists that it will be too big and spoil the historic property. w @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4r8ZK1S

Trump today declared it's "TOO LATE!" to stop White House ballroom construction. DOJ lawyers have been arguing something different: the ongoing, months-long work could be changed as the administration waits for approval from two oversight committees. w @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4sUXMUt

President Trump’s handpicked arts commissioners met this morning to discuss his planned White House ballroom. The committee's new chair raised concerns re: building size and design but indicated he supports the controversial project. w/@ddiamond.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

A D.C. teacher stars in the new season of "Queer Eye." Michael Devereaux, a high school history teacher, insisted his participation in the Netflix makeover show help others at Digital Pioneers Academy. The result: a new teachers' lounge. wapo.st/49OrUbk

President Donald Trump has installed four allies on a federal commission set to review his White House ballroom plan, including its former chief architect — his latest move to secure rapid approval for the controversial project. w @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4qrxZBC

D.C. may rename school that honors city’s first mayor, a proponent of slavery. Students, teachers and parents say the city should rename Brent Elementary School in Capitol Hill to honor Gardner Bishop, a parent and Black civil rights activist. wapo.st/4aX1jLn

Never-before-seen images offer closer look at demolition of the East Wing and site work for the White House ballroom. wapo.st/49yVT83

Breaking news: A federal judge suggested he would allow the Trump administration to continue work on its controversial ballroom addition, but gave the White House two weeks to file its still-unfinished ballroom plans.

I just got a text from Paul Abdou, the math teacher featured in this story: "Thank you for the article. I’ve had a visit from some engineers this morning. Your work can be a force for good." Let's hope they actually get the heat working 🤞 www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

The latest White House ballroom news from @ddiamond.bsky.social and me

Trump has wanted to go ever-bigger with his White House ballroom. One person who disagrees: Trump’s handpicked architect, worried the 90,000-sq-ft addition will overshadow the main White House mansion, four sources tell the @washingtonpost.com. W/ @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4prs3HI

Donors to Trump’s White House ballroom have $279B in federal contracts in the past 5y, have paid $1.6B in political spending and are targets in several federal investigations into alleged wrongdoing, according to a new report from @publiccitizen.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Scoop: Trump has started demolishing the White House's East Wing facade to build his ballroom. The president had claimed construction of the $250 million building wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure. /W @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4hqBNiU