It was early June, and the White House had an “urgent and compelling” job: Four chandeliers needed to be installed in the West Wing.
Why the rush?
“In this particular case, the environment of the 250th anniversary, the birthday, and other events [redacted],” reads a previously unreported contracting document dated June 5. “This must happen over the weekend as these must be in place before the June anniversary events.”
President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday fell the following Sunday — June 14 — the same night as the UFC fight on the White House lawn. Trump spent the weekend of June 6-7 away from the White House, at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
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The General Services Administration chose Agile1Tech, a Virginia-based government construction contractor, for the chandelier installation. The company had “recently completed the contract which created the UFC viewing/gaming room,” the contracting document states.
“Agile1Tech is familiar with how to brace these chandeliers in a structure that may not support such weight,” the document reads. “Given the urgency and the unique structures in the ceilings of the White House, Agile1Tech is the contractor identified to meet this urgent need.”
“Based on the results of market research, the government determined that a limited number of vendors were available, but none possessed the capability to properly install a complex chandelier in a historic environment,” the document continued.
Trump needed to be talked out of installing a chandelier in the Oval Office last year because of its weak ceiling, according to a book by Republican strategist Scott Jennings.
The White House declined to comment on the record for this story.
All of Agile1Tech’s White House work for the GSA came on a non-compete basis. While the government is usually incentivized to open its contracting work to multiple bidders to keep costs down, the Trump administration has a history of giving some of its largest work orders out as no-bid contracts. This includes the White House ballroom project, the reflecting pool renovation and the subsequent reflecting pool cleanup.
Agile1Tech initially billed the government $22,000 for the chandelier installations.
On Aug. 27, the contract more than doubled, adding $27,600 for an “additional 3 chandeliers.” Reporter Michael Scherer of The Atlantic noted in a press pool report the day before that “A van for a ‘Chandelier Restoration’ company passed by the briefing room around 12:30 p.m.”
At the time, the White House was working fast to finish major refurbishment and construction work — painting the North Portico and installing a helipad — before the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping in September.
Trump has transformed the White House in even more dramatic ways during the first 20 months of his second presidency by demolishing the East Wing to make room for a massive ballroom, paving over the Rose Garden and furnishing the Oval Office with dozens of gold fixtures.
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