US EditionTrump’s Latest Historic Building Renovation Plan Involves ‘Magic Paint’
Experts say the silicate coating would not protect the granite and could cause irreversible damage, as the proposal heads to a federal review board.
- President Donald Trump has proposed covering the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in bright white silicate-based 'magic paint,' claiming it will strengthen the stone and prevent staining on the 533-room structure.
- The administration argues the building has been 'largely neglected since its construction in the 1800s' and that the 'inability to bring the stone facade back to a baseline color' has plagued maintenance efforts.
- Preservationists, including the DC Preservation League and Cultural Heritage Partners, warn that priming granite for mineral silicate paint could cause 'permanent damage.' Experts argue the paint will not strengthen granite or improve its structural durability.
- The Commission of Fine Arts, which oversees federal building changes, is scheduled to review the design proposal for the first time on Thursday. The Trump-appointed agency holds authority over the landmark structure.
- This proposal follows other controversial projects, including a $400 million ballroom and a 250-foot Triumphal Arch announced last week. Trump has continued to overhaul capital landmarks, demolishing the White House East Wing and closing the Kennedy Center for two-year renovations.
17 Articles
17 Articles
What is ‘Magic Paint’? Experts Warn Against Donald Trump’s Plan for White House Office Building
As President Donald Trump continues to reshape the White House and Washington D.C. in his image, a group of experts are warning that his desire to use “magic paint” on an iconic building is “incompatible” with reality. According to a Saturday, April 11, report from CNN, Trump, 79, has “privately advocated” for the Eisenhower Executive Office Building — located next to the White House — to be covered in so-called “magic paint,” a silicate-based p…
Trump Wants to Paint the Eisenhower Building White, But Experts Say His ‘Magic’ Paint Won’t Work on Granite
Late last week, the Trump administration published plans proposing to make exterior improvements to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a building adjacent to the White House. In a 15-page proposal, the administration calls for painting the French Second Empire–style building’s facade white, with renderings of the repainted building from various angles. CNN reported on Saturday, however, that Trump has privately called for using a “magic…
President Trump proposed using a "miracle" silicate paint to coat the Eisenhower administrative office building. However, the idea faced opposition from experts.
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