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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Terence Repelente

White House Ballroom Architect Quit After Warning Trump Over Fire Safety; Trump Said 'I Am the Code': Report

White House James McCrery II Donald Trump The Post
Donald Trump clashed with his White House ballroom architect, James McCrery II, over building safety codes, leading the architect to resign (Credit: The White House)

The original architect of Donald Trump's White House ballroom reportedly clashed repeatedly with the president over emergency exits and fire protections before withdrawing from the project, with Trump reportedly dismissing the concerns by saying, 'I am the code.'

James McCrery II withdrew from the project in October 2025 after raising safety concerns about preliminary ballroom designs, according to The Washington Post, which cited two people familiar with the discussions and documents it reviewed.

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