Agency Denies Alleged Plans to Demolish Federal Buildings

A General Services Administration official disputed allegations that the White House may demolish four historic buildings in Washington, claiming instead the agency is considering transferring or selling them.

GSA, the agency that manages government buildings, is “currently evaluating” the four buildings “for disposal, not demolition,” Andrew Heller, the acting commissioner for GSA’s Public Buildings Service, said in a Wednesday declaration in Washington federal court.

Disposal would include transferring them to another federal agency, repurposing them for public benefit, or selling them.

Heller also told the court that he hadn’t received any directive from the White House, or President Donald Trump’s office, to demolish any of those four buildings, which include those that housed the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Voice of America. Heller also said he hasn’t been in any meetings where such a directive was discussed.

Heller’s declaration comes in response to one given earlier this week before Mydelle Wright, a former GSA official who retired from the agency last year.

Wright alleged in her declaration, presented to a federal judge this week, that she’d learned the White House is independently soliciting bids to recommend the demolition of the historic buildings, without GSA’s input.

She claimed Trump is “personally involved in facilitating end-runs around the agency’s obligations to the buildings that are our national heritage.”

The dueling declarations were filed in litigation by Cultural Heritage Partners and the DC Preservation League, preservationists, seeking to block Trump from painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The building was constructed in the late 19th century and now houses offices for White House staff.

Trump told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham last month that he is considering painting the entire building white and is “getting bids from painters.”

The groups sued shortly after and asked the court to stop the government from making any changes to the building until it has engaged in the processes required under environmental and historical preservation laws. Heller has previously said GSA would not engage in or authorize any powerwashing or painting on the exterior of the building before March.

Greg Werkheiser, an attorney for the Cultural Heritage Partners, presented Wright’s supplemental declaration in-person during a Dec. 8 hearing and said the information cast doubt on GSA’s ability to control the president’s actions. He told the judge he became aware days earlier of the new information, which he said came from Wright’s “own sources.”

In Wednesday’s declaration, Heller committed that GSA would also not engage in other planning activities related to painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, including soliciting or selecting contractors and drafting designs, following concerns raised by Werkheiser at the hearing that his initial assurance fell short.

Werkheiser said in a statement Thursday he is “very pleased” the government has agreed to stop all planning activities until the case is resolved.

“This concession brings needed stability to a process that had been moving forward out of public view. If the White House attempts to sidestep this commitment or threatens the EEOB on its own, we will return to court immediately,” he said.

The case is Cultural Heritage Partners v. Trump, D.D.C., No. 1:25-cv-03969, 12/10/25