Topline
The Trump administration announced it will break ground on a 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington Cemetery within the next two weeks—the latest among a series of costly Capitol renovations under President Donald Trump.
The motorcade with President Donald Trump drives in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after a visit to see the new blue protective coating being applied as part of a renovation project on May 7, 2026, in Washington. (Photo by Alex Brandon – Pool/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a social media post on Thursday that excavation work would begin in the next two weeks.
The arch, which will look similar to, but be taller than, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, would sit at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The Commission of Fine Arts, which is composed of Trump appointees, approved Trumps plans for the arch in May, despite his administration rejecting its suggestion to remove a golden winged angel and two eagles from the top of the structure to reduce its height.
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The National Capital Planning Commission, which has jurisdiction over federally owned land in Washington, has not reviewed the project, however, and it faces a lawsuit under review by a judge.
Triumphal Arch: $100 Million
The 250-foot-tall “Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck,” as Burgum called it, could cost as much as $100 million, according to Axios. The Trump administration has yet to present an official estimate for the monument. The National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency that provides funding for humanities programs, has set aside $15 million for the project. The Trump administration has also awarded a $500,000 contract to an Oregon-based firm for environmental testing.
White House Ballroom: At Least $927 Million
The cost of the new East Wing ballroom, underground security complex, a new helipad on the White House lawn, visitor screening center, renovations to nearby Lafayette Square and other related projects total at least $927 million, according to contracting documents reviewed by The Washington Post and reported last month. The Post previously reported the cost of the East Wing project alone was $600 million, with more than half coming from taxpayers, despite Trump saying repeatedly private donations would fund the project. The Trump administration has assembled the funding by transferring money from other agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, to an account typically reserved for expenses related to Executive Residence, which is not subject to the same public records requirements as some other government accounts. The White House initially said the ballroom would cost $200 million, then Trump doubled the price in December, claiming that after “deep rooted studies” the administration decided to double its size.
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool: More Than $19 Million
Plagued by repeated issues, including a peeling lining and persistent algae, the project‘s cost is more than 10 times Trump’s initial $1.5 million estimate and has taken months to complete, despite Trump saying previously it would span “one week.” The costs include a $14.65 million no-bid contract awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings for the paint job, $1.74 million to Green Water Solutions to install a “nano-bubble” system to kill algae and a $2.65 million contract to American Ag Energy, Inc. for water supply and irrigation services. The American Ag contract was newly reported by multiple outlets on Thursday, citing government records. The project is being paid for with taxpayer dollars via the National Park Service.
Kennedy Center: $285 Million
The Kennedy Center‘s board—predominately hand-picked by Trump—voted last month to close the Kennedy Center for two years for an extensive renovation project. Congress last year designated $256.7 million for the project. The renovation plans include massive overhauls of its three major theaters—the Concert Hall, Opera House and Eisenhower Theater, along with upgrades to the facility’s parking garage, and heating and cooling, electrical, and plumbing systems. During the closure, some programming, including the Kennedy Center Honors and Mark Twain Prize, would be moved offsite, and the National Symphony Orchestra would perform at other venues, according to court filings. The board also voted to rename the center to honor Trump and added his name to the facade, only for a judge to order it be removed. Tarp and scaffolding has covered the building since Trumps name was taken down.
Eisenhower Executive Office Building: $7.5 Million
Trump‘s proposal to have the gray granite facade of the 19th century building painted white to match the White House would cost around $7.5 million, the Trump administration estimates, according to multiple reports. The project would be paid for by the executive branch’s existing upkeep and maintenance budget. The plan is under review by the National Capital Planning Commission, which is led by Trump appointees.
National Garden Of American Heroes: $40 Million
Congress already approved $40 million in taxpayer money for Trump‘s proposed statue garden as part of his signature policy bill passed last year, but the latest renderings of the project show it’s growing in scale and could be one of his most expensive, The New York Times recently reported. The plans include 250 life-size statues of famous figures, including George Washington, Elvis Presley, Ronald Reagan and Kobe Bryant, accompanied by an amphitheater, gardens, reflecting pools, cafes, recreational spaces and multiple plazas along the Potomac River. Trump signed an executive order to approve the project during his first term—when statues honoring Confederate leaders were being destroyed and others were damaged during the George Floyd protests—and hoped to have it completed by July 4, though work has yet to begin.
Rose Garden: $1.9 Million
The Trump administration paved over the grass of the White House Rose Garden shortly after Trump took office last year. The project, completed in August, cost $1.9 million and was paid for by private donations. Trump justified the project by saying the grass was often wet and problematic for women wearing heels.
Multiple Projects Face Court Battles
The nonprofit Cultural Landscape Foundation filed a request to block the reflecting pool renovations, arguing it didn‘t follow federal guidelines for the approval process, but it dropped its motion shortly after a judge ruled in May that work could continue. The Justice Department also charged former Olympian David Hearn with damaging the reflecting pool, as Trump sought to blame alleged “vandals” for causing the liner of the pool to lift. The case was dismissed over a lack of evidence. A group of Vietnam war veterans sued to block the arch from being built, arguing the “vanity project” would obstruct the view of Arlington Cemetery. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to block construction of the ballroom, alleging it didn’t undergo the required approval process. The Supreme Court ruled last month that the group did not have standing to file the legal action and allowed the ballroom project to continue. The Eisenhower Executive building repainting also faces a legal challenge from the D.C. Preservation League and Cultural Heritage Partners, which asked a Washington, D.C. district court to require a review process before work can commence. A judge allowed paint testing to continue. A case filed by the D.C. Preservation League challenges the Kennedy Center renovations and a separate case filed by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, a member of the centers board, argues the renaming of the center to honor Trump was illegal without congressional approval. A judge ordered his name removed and for the board to re-examine the renovation plans, prompting a new round of votes in favor of both moves and prolonging the court battle.
Chief Critics
“Donald Trump‘s disastrous renovation of our national reflecting pool is his latest failed vanity project,” Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said earlier this year, according to The Washington Post. Calling the arch a “vanity project,” in a court briefing in support of the veterans’ lawsuit against it, Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., wrote, “this is not Pyongyang. Most Americans want to be able to appreciate the view of the Arlington Cemetery without a massive eyesore.”
Further Reading
Trump Claims Ballroom Project Is ‘Under Budget’ Despite $1 Billion Request (Forbes)