“I Am the Code” — Trump’s Demands for Ballroom Led to First Architect Quitting

Por Chris Walker — Truthout

With limited exceptions, federal law mandates that new federal construction projects abide by safety codes.

Honest, paywall-free news is rare. Please support our boldly independent journalism with a donation of any size.

James McCrery, the first architect hired to work on President Donald Trump’s ballroom project for the East Wing of the White House, resigned last year amid concerns that the president’s many demands for the construction project wouldn’t comply with safety codes.

McCrery abruptly quit the project in October 2025. According to reporting from The Washington Post, McCrery’s decision to leave was because Trump’s demands for the building would violate fire and safety codes, and did not include adequate plans for emergency exits.

When McCrery told Trump that his ideas were problematic, the president dismissed him, reportedly saying, “I am the code.”

The White House has denied the Post’s reporting. The publication said it spoke to two sources about the matter, who confirmed the allegations and corroborated their claims with documentation.

Federal law mandates that any changes to federal buildings, like the White House, must comport with building safety standards to the “maximum extent feasible.” Only if there is a national security risk can those codes be ignored.

Even if Trump provided that rationale to McCrery, as his administration has in court cases defending the ballroom, it would be questionable to disregard building codes on that basis. As the president has said on many occasions, the ballroom is intended to be used to host foreign dignitaries and other important events. Not abiding by safety measures required by law would itself likely compromise national security, putting all in attendance at risk should an emergency occur.

Last month, a federal appeals court upheld a lower court’s ruling that Trump’s reconstruction of the East Wing was unlawful. The majority in that ruling stated that, “Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence,” noting that Congress is delegated the authority to change the building’s major aesthetics, not the president.

However, later in August, the conservative Supreme Court allowed construction to continue, pending the full outcome of the case.

Critics have pointed to Trump’s words to McCrery as further evidence of the president’s authoritarianism, which he has showcased repeatedly during both of his presidential terms.

“‘L’État, c’est moi’ is a phrase attributed to France’s King Louis XIV, and 370 years later, the gap between ‘I am the state’ and ‘I am the code’ is narrow,” MS NOW producer Steve Benen pointed out.

This September, Truthout is celebrating 25 years of publication. For over two decades, we have been a trusted source for fiercely independent journalism thanks to readers like you.

As we look to the next 25 years, we have launched a special fundraising campaign. This campaign is almost over! We have a goal to raise $22,000 before midnight tonight.

We are asking for your support at this juncture because we face greater threats than ever before in our organizational history. Trump and his MAGA allies are determined to control the information ecosystem, and movement-based organizations are subject to dangerous censorship and scrutiny.

If you can support Truthout with a one-time or monthly donation, you will make a significant impact on our work and our legacy. Anything you can do makes a difference!

This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), and you are free to share and republish under the following terms:

Chris Walker is a news writer at Truthout, based in Madison, Wisconsin. Focusing on both national and local topics since the early 2000s, he has produced thousands of articles analyzing the issues of the day and their impact on people. He can be found on most social media platforms under the handle @thatchriswalker.

Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day.

Please make a donation to Truthout during our special 25th anniversary fundraiser. We have until midnight to raise $22,000!

Fonte: Truthout