What should we do with Trump’s monstrous architectural legacy? | Jan-Werner Müller
Questions over Trump’s ballroom and other structures might not feel urgent. But when his reign ends, Trumpism must be repudiated On Monday, a majority on the supreme court found a technical way to overrule a lower court’s imperative to stop work, while not taking a stance on whether the whole enterprise might be illegal to begin with. Preservationists, the majority held, appear to lack legal…
Questions surrounding Donald Trump's architectural projects may not seem pressing, but upon his departure, his legacy must be rejected. On Monday, the Supreme Court used a technicality to overturn a lower court's order halting work, without commenting on whether the entire endeavor may be unlawful. Preservationists lack legal footing to challenge Trump's ballroom construction; thus, work will continue, even though Chief Justice John Roberts, in a dissent, deems those in charge have "broken the rules" in choosing "what to build up at the People's House."
Solicitor General John Sauer asserts 65% of the project is finished (despite possible exaggeration, as is typical with Trump administrations). Regardless, a significant structure will likely be erected adjacent to the original White House, which, coupled with the court's ruling empowering Trump to alter Washington DC's landscape without congressional approval, could lead to the construction of a triumphal arch.
This raises the question: what to do with a monstrous architectural legacy in post-Trump America? While some may dismiss this as a luxury issue, given the ongoing war against Congress, ICE's cruel practices, and Trump's attempts to manipulate the midterms, the built environment, particularly in the capital, is significant. Buildings and monuments reveal values, as philosopher Susan Neiman notes.
Therefore, leaving Trump's structures as if his tenure were simply another normal period in US history is not neutral – just like keeping Confederate monuments in place is not neutral. Jan-Werner Müller, a Guardian US columnist and a professor of politics at Princeton University, continues the discussion.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
