WASHINGTON ‒ The White House has hired a new lead architect for President Donald Trump's White House ballroom after he clashed with the project's original architect over the size of the massive addition.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle confirmed to USA TODAY that architect Shalom Baranes of Washington, DC has been hired as the new lead architect for the 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
The move comes after James McCrery II, the project's original lead architect, expressed concerns to Trump about the size of the project and the ballroom overshadowing the main White House building, according to a report from the Washington Post. McCrery will continue as a consultant.
"Shalom is an accomplished architect whose work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation’s capital for decades and his experience will be a great asset to the completion of this project," Ingle said.
More: White House set to soon submit plans for Trump's ballroom to review panel
