Trump’s White House takeover: Plan to fence off Lafayette Park sparks outrage

A federal advisory panel is scheduled to review the latest additions to President Donald Trump's extensive redesign of Washington on Thursday, after previously approving major projects proposed by the administration.The National Capital Planning Commission, which earlier this spring sanctioned Trump's proposal for a White House ballroom after he tore down the Executive Mansion's East Wing without prior permission, will examine plans for a perimeter fence surrounding Lafayette Park.Members will also evaluate a design for an underground visitor screening center for the White House. While this marks the first time the commission is considering either project, no formal votes are anticipated. Historically, neither this body nor the separate U.S. Commission of Fine Arts has presented significant hurdles to Trump's capital initiatives.The fountains in Lafayette Park are running again near the White House on June 23 (Getty)The fine arts panel, heavily staffed with Trump appointees, endorsed the visitor center concept during its July meeting. It also received a briefing on the Lafayette Square perimeter fence but took no action, though that proposal remains the most likely to prompt public debate and opposition during Thursday's proceedings.Although the planning commission features fewer direct Trump appointees, it retains a distinct conservative slant. Among its 12 seats are three presidential picks, along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, General Services Administrator Ed Forst, and Republican lawmakers Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. James Comer. Newly appointed chairman Mark Paoletta will preside over his inaugural meeting, succeeding former chair White House Counsel Will Scharf.Both proposals arrive amid heightened security concerns for the president. Officials argue the permanent upgrades would significantly improve on long-standing temporary measures, such as converted bicycle racks used as barricades.Senator Rand Paul is one of the 12 members of the planning commission (Getty)Trump has been targeted in several assassination attempts, including two throughout the 2024 presidential race and another this past April while attending a Washington dinner with White House journalists. Security anxieties rose further in May when Secret Service officers fatally shot an armed man near a White House security checkpoint.Even so, erecting a fence around Lafayette Square would mark a lasting shift in access and aesthetics for the iconic space facing the White House, which has lacked permanent fencing since the late 19th century.The administration’s 79-page design document for the 8-acre park proposes enclosing the entire perimeter with enlarged gates at the north and south points. Draft options consider either enclosing or bypassing monuments situated at the four corners of the park.By contrast, the proposed White House Visitor Screening Facility has drawn little pushback. Intended to open by July 2028, the subterranean complex would replace temporary screening tents used for years, aiming to boost security protocols and streamline visitor access. Initially planned near the southern side of Sherman Park, officials shifted the location to its western border to avoid underground utility lines.