Shalom Baranes, the $400 million White House ballroom architect, has baffled peers by accepting President Trump's controversial project. The Libyan refugee turned prominent architect has built a career on high-profile government work, including Pentagon renovations, but faces unusual criticism for this assignment.

Baranes has endured public backlash from preservationists and fellow architects, who filed a lawsuit against the 90,000-square-foot addition. The project has drawn tens of thousands of negative comments, with 29 architects signing a letter criticizing the scale. Despite the controversy, Baranes maintains that three-quarters of his previous projects sparked similar neighborhood outrage.

The 75-year-old architect downplays speculation about financial motives, noting his firm employs 60 people and is not in trouble. Baranes has expressed discomfort with Trump's immigration policies while working regularly with the president. His ability to navigate developer demands made him a natural fit for this politically charged assignment.