Mark Paoletta appointed to lead National Capital Planning Commission

President Donald Trump has appointed Mark Paoletta as the new chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). Paoletta, who currently serves as general counsel for the White House Office of Management and Budget, succeeds Will Scharf, who is transitioning to the role of White House counsel.

The NCPC is the federal agency responsible for supervising major development projects in the Washington, D.C. area. Key projects under its oversight include the construction of a new White House ballroom and a proposed triumphal arch along the Potomac River. The ballroom project has previously faced legal challenges from the National Trust for Historic Preservation regarding the president's authority to conduct such renovations, though construction has resumed following a temporary lifting of a stay by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Paoletta holds an expanding portfolio within the administration, also serving as the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and chief legal officer of USAID.