President Donald J. Trump has issued a new Executive Order directing that classical architecture serve as the default style for Federal civic buildings across the United States.
The measure, signed last week (28th August), applies to courthouses, government offices, and other public structures, with the stated aim of reviving tradition, affirming civic identity, and restoring a sense of national pride.
Under the order, future government buildings must be “visually identifiable as civic architecture” and, where possible, reflect the heritage of their surrounding region. The General Services Administration will oversee implementation, ensuring that architects and officials trained in classical design are involved in the planning process. Any project deviating from the preferred style—such as Brutalist or Deconstructivist designs—will require notification to the President through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy.
The directive places Washington, D.C., at the centre of the initiative, positioning the capital as a showcase for a return to a more traditional civic style. According to the administration, buildings that depart from classical precedent must nonetheless embody “dignity, stability, and respect.”
Trump framed the policy as an effort to align federally funded architecture with public sentiment, arguing that American taxpayers prefer classical and regionally inspired styles to the Modernist and Brutalist approaches introduced in the 1960s.
In a statement, he invoked the legacy of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both of whom personally shaped the design of foundational buildings such as the Capitol and the White House.
This latest order builds on earlier moves by Trump to position architecture within his broader cultural agenda. His 2020 order “Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture” was revoked by President Biden in 2021, but Trump had pledged during the 2023 campaign to restore it, criticising what he called “ugly buildings.” Since returning to the office, he has linked architectural reform to other symbolic initiatives, including measures to protect monuments, revive the proposed National Garden of American Heroes, and expand commemorative projects tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary.
In recent months, the White House has paired the architectural mandate with a series of executive actions focused on civic identity and aesthetics, from national park investment to the protection of the American flag. Together, these initiatives mark an effort to embed cultural heritage and visual tradition within the state’s machinery.
The order represents a retrogressive return to architectural forms that once defined the civic sphere. For critics, it risks narrowing the scope of public design to a single, state-prescribed vocabulary. What is clear is that, under the new directive, the image of America’s public buildings will be shaped by classical ideals, framed as both a reflection of history and a projection of national strength.
Does this sound familiar? Please leave your comments on our Instagram Account. Here are the facts. I would appreciate your thoughts…
Photo Wiki Commons Capitol Building, Washington, DC, Diego Delso