Trump's Security Proposal Faces Setback From Federal Review Panel
WHO:
Alternet - President Donald Trump, Rodney Mims Cook Jr. (chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts), Tom Dougherty (chief strategy officer for the Secret Service), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), the Secret Service, the Department of the Interior.
WHAT:
AP News - President Trump has been the target of multiple assassination attempts, including two during the 2024 campaign and a third this past April while attending a Washington dinner with White House journalists.
AP News - The original design for the White House Visitor Screening Facility was moved to the western edge of the property after consultations with other entities.
AP News - The administration's proposal for fencing around Lafayette Park includes options for either including or excluding monuments located at each of the park’s four corners.
AP News - The park last had a permanent fence in the late 1800s.
AP News - The administration's 79-page proposal for the 8-acre park calls for fencing all the way around with larger gates at the north and south entrances.
AP News - A federal panel gave preliminary approval to an updated design for an underground facility to screen visitors to the White House, which is planned to be 33,000 square feet.
AP News - The administration aims to have the new visitor screening facility open by July 2028.
AP News - The administration's proposal for fencing around Lafayette Park includes options for either including or excluding monuments located at each of the park’s four corners.
Alternet - The Commission of Fine Arts rejected President Trump's fencing proposal for the White House.
ABC News - Proposals from the Trump administration to improve security around the White House are under review by a federal agency.
Alternet - The proposed new fence would be "roughly double the height of the existing one" and include a new concrete foundation.
Alternet - A massive, black, chain-link fence and concrete barriers are currently located one block north of the White House.
Alternet - The commission suggested redesigning elements of the fencing proposal and recommended changes to the layout.
WHERE:
Alternet - The White House, located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Alternet - Lafayette Square, located north of the White House.
WHEN:
Alternet - Construction of the new fence began before the Biden administration and was finalized in 2023.
Alternet - The first time a president used the bunker since the September 11, 2001, attacks was during a protest in 2020.
WHY:
AP News - The fencing proposal for Lafayette Park is intended to make it faster and easier for law enforcement to limit public access when necessary.
Alternet - The fencing proposal is a response to security concerns regarding "fence jumpers" and intruders during President Obama's administration.
Alternet - The proposal aims to address security fears expressed by Trump and the Secret Service.
HOW:
AP News - The nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation stated that the fence plan will be better than the current "mishmash of bollards, strings of police tape, and zip-tied bike rack barriers."
AP News - The administration also wants similar fencing along Pennsylvania Avenue on the north side of the White House complex, from the Treasury Department building at 15th Street to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at 17th Street.
AP News - The park has been closed and fenced in since January for renovations, which include repairing dormant fountains.
Alternet - The commission's president, Cook, described the disagreement over the proposal as a “marvelous opportunity” for improvement.
Alternet - The current security measures include bike racks and police presence to manage vehicle movement and public access.
(UPDATED July 17, 2026 05:50 UTC)
President Trump has faced multiple assassination attempts, including two during the 2024 campaign and another this past April while attending a dinner with White House journalists. In response to security concerns, the administration has proposed a comprehensive fencing plan for Lafayette Park, which includes options for either including or excluding monuments at each corner, and aims to replace the current makeshift barriers with a more permanent solution. The plan also calls for similar fencing along Pennsylvania Avenue, extending from the Treasury Department to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
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(UPDATED July 16, 2026 22:22 UTC)
A federal panel has given preliminary approval for an updated design of a new underground visitor screening facility at the White House, which will span 33,000 square feet and is expected to open by July 2028. The administration is also proposing fencing around Lafayette Park to enhance law enforcement's ability to manage public access when needed, with options to include or exclude monuments at the park's corners. Currently, Lafayette Park has been closed and fenced off since January for renovations, which include repairing its dormant fountains.
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(UPDATED July 16, 2026 20:18 UTC)
The Commission of Fine Arts has rejected President Trump's proposal for a new fence around the White House, which aimed to be roughly double the height of the existing structure and include a concrete foundation. The commission suggested redesigning elements of the proposal and recommended changes to the layout, viewing the disagreement as a "marvelous opportunity" for improvement. Currently, security measures in place include bike racks and a police presence to manage vehicle movement and public access around Lafayette Square, located just north of the White House.