Washington Post reporterhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3ml6zj6zo5s23Excited to announce I'm the new arts and government reporter at @washingtonpost.com covering the Smithsonian, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, etc — and how the Trump administration is reshaping those institutions to rewrite the American story. Tips welcome: Signal jle.1106 May 2026 15:32 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6zj6zo5s23https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mkfoc56dys2yAfter a gunman charged toward the president at the White House correspondents' dinner, Trump and conservative allies said it proved the need for his $400 million White House ballroom. But it's not clear the dinner would even be held there. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/26/correspondents-dinner-shooting-ballroom/26 Apr 2026 13:34 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkfoc56dys2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mjzzmkxxuk2nSCOOP: Trump's secret contract for White House ballroom fundraising shielded donors and excluded White House from conflict-of-interest safeguards. It took a lawsuit from @publiccitizen.bsky.social and a judge's order to make it public. w @ddiamond.bsky.social https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/21/trump-ballroom-donor-deal/21 Apr 2026 22:25 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjzzmkxxuk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mijtlofskk2gPlanning commission APPROVES President Trump's White House ballroom project https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/02/trump-ballroom-federal-review-commission/02 Apr 2026 18:29 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mijtlofskk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mijkhcj7yc2lExclusive: A White House official asked an independent planning commission to soften language about its own authority over Trump's ballroom project — and it complied, records show. The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the project this afternoon. w @ddiamond.bsky.social https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/02/white-house-ballroom-documents-changed/02 Apr 2026 15:46 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mijkhcj7yc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mfmoxi5hlc22Exclusive: As GOP leaders rushed to defend Trump's decision to tear down the East Wing, one Republican lawmaker privately warned a senior White House aide that he had “substantial concerns” and demanded answers about how the decision was made. w @ddiamond.bsky.social https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/24/trump-ballroom-gop-concerns/24 Feb 2026 17:29 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfmoxi5hlc22https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mf7xfluzvc2pA federal arts commission — packed with Trump allies, including his 26-year-old executive assistant — voted this morning to approve the president's planned White House ballroom building. w @ddiamond.bsky.social https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/19/trump-white-house-ballroom-fine-arts/19 Feb 2026 15:55 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mf7xfluzvc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mf3baec47s23Trump picks his 26-year-old receptionist for a federal commission set to vote on his planned White House ballroom. The White House says she's qualified. Past commissioners say Trump is flouting Congress's intent for panel. w @ddiamond.bsky.social https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/17/trump-ballroom-fine-arts-panel/17 Feb 2026 19:08 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mf3baec47s23https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3me2de3kqk22bPresident Donald Trump is digging in on his ambitious plans for the White House ballroom project despite concerns from a federal judge, members of two review panels and historic preservationists that it will be too big and spoil the historic property. w @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4r8ZK1S https://wapo.st/4r8ZK1S04 Feb 2026 16:48 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3me2de3kqk22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mdbq56ykpk2kTrump today declared it's "TOO LATE!" to stop White House ballroom construction. DOJ lawyers have been arguing something different: the ongoing, months-long work could be changed as the administration waits for approval from two oversight committees. w @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4sUXMUt https://wapo.st/4sUXMUt25 Jan 2026 22:00 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdbq56ykpk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mczs25xip22sPresident Trump’s handpicked arts commissioners met this morning to discuss his planned White House ballroom. The committee's new chair raised concerns re: building size and design but indicated he supports the controversial project. w/@ddiamond.bsky.social https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/22/trump-ballroom-approval-lawsuit/22 Jan 2026 18:13 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mczs25xip22shttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mczrp2c2nc2sA D.C. teacher stars in the new season of "Queer Eye." Michael Devereaux, a high school history teacher, insisted his participation in the Netflix makeover show help others at Digital Pioneers Academy. The result: a new teachers' lounge. wapo.st/49OrUbk https://wapo.st/49OrUbk22 Jan 2026 18:07 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mczrp2c2nc2shttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mcl76ksh622rPresident Donald Trump has installed four allies on a federal commission set to review his White House ballroom plan, including its former chief architect — his latest move to secure rapid approval for the controversial project. w @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4qrxZBC https://wapo.st/4qrxZBC16 Jan 2026 22:58 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcl76ksh622rhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mci3chh3cc2yD.C. may rename school that honors city’s first mayor, a proponent of slavery. Students, teachers and parents say the city should rename Brent Elementary School in Capitol Hill to honor Gardner Bishop, a parent and Black civil rights activist. wapo.st/4aX1jLn https://wapo.st/4aX1jLn15 Jan 2026 17:11 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mci3chh3cc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3mbcjzsyypk2aNever-before-seen images offer closer look at demolition of the East Wing and site work for the White House ballroom. wapo.st/49yVT83 https://wapo.st/49yVT8331 Dec 2025 18:53 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbcjzsyypk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3ma4iiywp6c22I just got a text from Paul Abdou, the math teacher featured in this story: "Thank you for the article. I’ve had a visit from some engineers this morning. Your work can be a force for good." Let's hope they actually get the heat working 🤞 https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/12/15/cardozo-education-campus-heating-hvac-problems/16 Dec 2025 15:45 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3ma4iiywp6c22https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3ma4ieig4ts22The latest White House ballroom news from @ddiamond.bsky.social and me [contains quote post or other embedded content]16 Dec 2025 15:42 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3ma4ieig4ts22https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3m6k5ufmrz22jTrump has wanted to go ever-bigger with his White House ballroom. One person who disagrees: Trump’s handpicked architect, worried the 90,000-sq-ft addition will overshadow the main White House mansion, four sources tell the @washingtonpost.com. W/ @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4prs3HI https://wapo.st/4prs3HI26 Nov 2025 15:21 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6k5ufmrz22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3m4qtrnspek2yDonors to Trump’s White House ballroom have $279B in federal contracts in the past 5y, have paid $1.6B in political spending and are targets in several federal investigations into alleged wrongdoing, according to a new report from @publiccitizen.bsky.social https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/11/03/trump-ballroom-donors-contracts-enforcement/03 Nov 2025 20:19 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4qtrnspek2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/jonathanreports.bsky.social/post/3m3nhd3bqlc2mScoop: Trump has started demolishing the White House's East Wing facade to build his ballroom. The president had claimed construction of the $250 million building wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure. /W @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4hqBNiU https://wapo.st/4hqBNiU20 Oct 2025 18:33 +0000at://did:plc:2dlj4irvfuywvckw7wgv4eeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3nhd3bqlc2m