Commission Approves White House Screening Center, Defers on Fence

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts granted preliminary approval on July 16, 2026, for a 33,000-square-foot underground visitor screening facility beneath Sherman Park. Designed to replace temporary tents, the center is expected to be operational by July 2028. These security upgrades follow multiple assassination attempts against Donald Trump and a shooting near a White House checkpoint in May.

Separately, the commission deferred action on a Trump administration proposal to install a permanent steel fence around the 8-acre Lafayette Park and portions of Pennsylvania Avenue. The U.S. Secret Service and the Executive Office of the President designed the perimeter to allow security forces to rapidly lock down the area during emergencies. While the commission expressed openness to the plan, members requested design modifications before granting final approval.

The proposal has drawn criticism from the Cultural Landscape Foundation and political leaders. Senator Mark Warner argued that the measure is an attempt to suppress First Amendment rights to protest in a historic public space. Conversely, the National Trust for Historic Preservation supports the permanent fence as an improvement over current temporary barriers. Construction on the fencing is expected to begin next year if oversight bodies provide final approval.