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Donald Trump Pushes Major Renovation and Development Plans for Washington
Republican senators added $1 billion in security upgrades as Trump presses ahead with a ballroom and other changes despite preservation lawsuits and broad public opposition.
President Donald Trump is reshaping Washington by bulldozing the White House East Wing for a ballroom, adding his name to the Kennedy Center and U.S. Institute of Peace facades, and pushing for a triumphal arch near Arlington Cemetery.
Trump recently touted reducing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation cost to $1.9 million from an initial $350 million estimate, while painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building white will cost taxpayers at least $7.5 million.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll conducted in late April found 52% of Americans oppose the planned arch, yet Republican senators added $1 billion in White House security upgrades to an unrelated bill this week.
Trump's assertion of power, including National Guard deployments, has animated the local Democratic primary next month, while the DC Preservation League filed lawsuits to challenge site takeovers.
These projects aim to secure a lasting imprint on a city where Trump won just 6.5% of the vote in 2024, even as his administration closes public parks including Lafayette Square for rehabilitation.