President Trump has named Mark Paoletta, a lawyer in his administration and a close associate of Justice Clarence Thomas’s, to lead the panel overseeing several of his prized construction projects, including the planned Triumphal Arch. Mr. Paoletta, who also serves as the general counsel for the Office of Management and Budget, will replace Will Scharf, a White House official set to become White House counsel in September. As chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, Mr. Paoletta will vet Mr. Trump’s planned arch, the National Garden of American Heroes, and a proposed luxury golf course nearby, along with other major construction projects. Mr. Paoletta previously worked for Vice President Mike Pence and represented Ginni Thomas, the wife of Justice Thomas, before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. In a statement, Mr. Paoletta said, “President Trump has transformed D.

C. into a capital worthy of the greatest nation in history,” adding he looks forward to advancing the president’s historic restoration and beautification of the National Capital Region, especially in the 250th year of U.S. independence.