Washington, D.C. – A federal judge on August 18, 2026, granted the Trump administration’s request to conduct preliminary paint tests on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB), a move opposed by preservation groups seeking to block the action.
U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich approved the limited testing but denied an emergency order from plaintiffs, including Cultural Heritage Partners, who argued the tests would cause irreparable harm. Judge Friedrich stated that the preservation groups failed to demonstrate such harm. The approved paint tests are strictly confined to approximately 8 square feet on the EEOB’s exterior and must be conducted on panels not visible to the public. Judge Friedrich, a Trump appointee, further indicated that she would intervene if the administration exceeded the defined scope of this limited testing and mandated regular status reports. This ruling specifically pertains to preliminary testing and does not grant approval for any broader plan to fully repaint the historic building.
The proposal to paint the EEOB white originated with President Donald Trump, who first publicly suggested the idea in 2025. He described the building’s current gray granite appearance as “ugly” and framed the initiative as part of a plan to “beautify the nation’s capital.” The Trump administration has justified the painting proposal by citing the building’s diminished appearance, alleging stained granite and limited maintenance. They suggested paint would provide a consistent and uniform color solution, asserting that the EEOB’s facade was heavily deteriorated with staining, grime, cracks, and damage, and that painting was a necessary and consistent solution.
However, preservation organizations, architects, and historians have voiced significant opposition. They contend that painting the granite facade could lead to substantial long-term issues, including trapping moisture, accelerating deterioration, irreversibly damaging the stone, and requiring costly, perpetual repainting. The full painting project is estimated to cost a minimum of $7.5 million. A lawsuit, initially filed in November 2025 by groups such as Cultural Heritage Partners and the DC Preservation League, challenges not only the painting itself but also the White House’s authority, arguing it unlawfully assumed control of the project from the General Services Administration (GSA). Plaintiffs assert that the White House Office of Administration (OA), which they claim took over the project from GSA, is not subject to the federal preservation and environmental review laws established by Congress.
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a National Historic Landmark, was completed in 1888. Located next to the White House, the architectural landmark is notably constructed of gray granite.