Critics say paint would trap moisture, degrade the granite
U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich said Tuesday that plaintiffs in an ongoing case had not shown that the minimal tests planned for the Eisenhower Executive Office Building would cause irreparable harm if they were to go ahead. The decision permits the tests to proceed.
The tests advance President Donald Trump’s plan to add a new coat of white paint to the 19th-century historic landmark next to the White House. Planners said the paint job would cost at least $7.5 million.
Trump has suggested painting the massive building as part of his push to remake and beautify the nation’s capital.
The proposal has drawn opposition from preservationists, architects, historians and others, who argue that granite is not meant to be painted and that paint would trap moisture and degrade the stone.
The case is ongoing.