Overview

• Signed on August 28, the executive order makes classical and traditional design the preferred style for federal public buildings, with classical as the default in Washington, D.C., and discourages Brutalist and Deconstructivist approaches.
• The General Services Administration must implement the policy and notify the President, through the domestic policy office, when a proposed design departs from the preference, with some outlets reporting a 30‑day advance notice requirement for such cases.
• Reporting on implementation details says the GSA will hire architects trained in classical or traditional design, appoint a senior advisor for architectural standards, and include traditional-design expertise on juries and competitions.
• The move extends a January 2025 memorandum and revives themes from Trump’s 2020 architecture order that President Biden rescinded in 2021.
• Advocates say ongoing projects, including planned federal courthouses in Hartford, Connecticut, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, will be reviewed under the new guidance, while preservationists and architects warn the policy could constrain design innovation.