Preservationists Return to Court to Block Paint Testing on Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Key Takeaways
- •Preservationist groups intend to file a renewed motion on July 30 seeking to halt paint testing on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building that could begin as early as August 3.
- •The EEOB, completed in 1888, is a National Historic Landmark built in the French Second Empire style and serves as office space for senior executive branch staff.
- •Cultural Heritage Partners states the administration previously assured the court that no work would proceed before complying with federal historic preservation and environmental laws.
- •Preservationists allege the project was transferred from the General Services Administration to the White House Office of Administration specifically to bypass mandatory public review processes.
- •The GSA is subject to federal preservation and environmental review statutes, while the White House Office of Administration has historically claimed exemption from certain regulatory requirements.
According to People, preservationists are returning to federal court to challenge Donald Trump's proposed makeover of one of Washington, D.C.'s most recognizable landmarks.
Groups opposed to Trump's plan to paint the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) intend to file a renewed motion for a preliminary injunction on Thursday, July 30. The filing asks a federal court to halt paint testing that could begin as early as August 3, pending resolution of the project's legality, according to a statement from Cultural Heritage Partners shared exclusively with People ahead of the filing.
The EEOB, completed in 1888, is a National Historic Landmark housed in the French Second Empire style and sits directly west of the White House, serving as office space for senior executive branch staff. Alterations to such landmark properties typically trigger review requirements under the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
Cultural Heritage Partners said the motion comes in response to the White House announcing its intention to begin a paint feasibility study on portions of the landmark. The group noted that the administration had previously assured the court that no such work would proceed before complying with federal historic preservation and environmental laws.
The motion argues that the proposed testing goes beyond simply determining whether paint could be applied to the building, characterizing it instead as a step toward executing the broader renovation project. Preservationists also allege that the project was improperly transferred from the General Services Administration to the White House Office of Administration in an effort to "bypass the public review process" required under federal preservation and environmental laws, according to Cultural Heritage Partners.
The GSA, which normally manages federal real estate including historic government properties, is subject to those review statutes, while the White House Office of Administration has historically argued it is not covered by certain disclosure and regulatory requirements—a distinction that preservationists now argue is being used to sidestep public oversight.
Previous reports indicated that Trump wanted the EEOB painted white.