Enhancing Federal Architecture's Aesthetics Once More

In an effort to enhance the aesthetic appeal and reflect the dignity of the American Government, President Donald J. Trump has issued an order on August 28, 2025, aiming to improve Federal civic architecture. The policy emphasizes beauty, inspiration, and respect, preferring classical and traditional architecture for Federal public buildings.

For approximately a century and a half, America's Federal architecture was primarily classical in design, with notable examples like the Capitol Building and the White House, designed by Thomas Jefferson and Pierre Charles L'Enfant in the classical style. However, in the past five years, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has selected architectural firms for federal building designs that have deliberately moved away from preferred classical or traditional architectural styles.

To rectify this, the order states that architecture that meets certain criteria, including traditional and classical architecture, is preferred for Federal public buildings. In design-build competitions for these buildings, experience with classical or traditional architecture is given substantial weight.

In the District of Columbia, classical architecture is the preferred and default style for Federal public buildings. The Administrator of GSA is encouraged to recruit architectural firms with experience in classical and traditional architecture for these competitions. To support this, a senior advisor for architectural design with specialized experience in classical architecture is to be created.

GSA architects reviewing Federal public building designs should have formal training or significant experience in classical or traditional architecture. If the Administrator proposes to approve a design that diverges from the preferred architecture, they must notify the President 30 days beforehand and provide reasons, costs, and alternatives.

The order also defines terms such as "Applicable Federal public building," "Brutalist architecture," "Classical architecture," "Deconstructivist architecture," "General public," "Public building," "Traditional architecture," and "2025 dollars." It also clarifies that the order does not create any rights or benefits enforceable at law or in equity.

The costs for publication of the order are to be borne by the General Services Administration. The order is to be implemented consistently with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. The Design Excellence Program, established by the GSA in 1994 to improve Federal architecture, has not effectively addressed the issues of local input and regional aesthetic preferences.

The policy aims to provide architectural styles that reflect the dignity and stability of the American Government, ensuring that Federal public buildings continue to inspire awe and respect for generations to come.