Trump Architect Rodney Cook Showcases $400 Million White House Plan at Russian Forum
Updated
Updated · The Daily Beast · Jun 4
Trump Architect Rodney Cook Showcases $400 Million White House Plan at Russian Forum
2 articles · Updated · The Daily Beast · Jun 4
Summary
$400 million White House ballroom plans and a 166-foot “Arc de Trump” were presented by Rodney Cook Jr. at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where he said Trump asked him to oversee both projects.
Cook, whom Trump named chair of the Commission of Fine Arts in January, became the first U.S. official known to attend the forum since 2017, despite broad Western boycotts after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The White House project has drawn preservationist and ethics criticism because it replaces the historic East Wing site, relies heavily on donations from corporations and billionaires, and could gain another $1 billion in taxpayer-backed security funding.
Marco Rubio told senators the same day he was unaware of any U.S. delegation at the event, underscoring confusion over reported Trump administration representation at a forum long shunned by Western governments and companies.