WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump is using his experience as a builder to lead numerous projects to improve and beautify the nation’s capital. As the America 250 celebrations approach, these new initiatives across Washington are moving forward quickly and grabbing headlines.
Meanwhile, historic preservation groups and others have filed lawsuits seeking to halt some of these projects.
Despite the legal challenges, work continues on multiple fronts. Here is a list of projects completed in preparation for the historic celebrations.
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
One of the most notable renovation projects undertaken by Trump in Washington is the restoration of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The pool reopened on the evening of June 9.
Originally constructed in the 1920s, the reflecting pool stretches nearly 2,030 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Over the years, the pool has faced problems such as leaks, cracks, algae growth, and pollution by trash and goose droppings.
“We worked very hard,” Trump told reporters on June 10, praising the project’s speed and cost savings. “It was going to cost $400 million, and we did it for about $10 million. It was going to take four years to build, and we did it in like a month, month and a half.”
He said the project involved an extensive cleanup and restoration effort. Workers using shovels removed 11 dumpsters’ worth of garbage from the massive pool. The project team then fumigated, sandblasted, washed, and scrubbed the entire surface. To complete the restoration, crews applied an industrial-grade swimming pool coating, replacing the original gray stone bottom.
The basin was painted in what Trump called “American flag blue.” He said that he initially considered a lighter color, but the project team advised against it, noting that it would not reflect well and would make leaves and garbage stand out.
Trump also said the sidewalks of the reflecting pool were cleaned and repaired as part of the project.
Critics, however, argue that the project has lacked public input and transparency, and have questioned the diversion of National Park Service funds to these projects and away from urgent repairs in other parks.
Shortly after the reflecting pool reopened, algae reappeared, turning the water green, and the new coating began peeling off. Trump said vandals used knives or razors to cause damage to the newly renovated pool. On June 23, he announced that several people had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Fountains
Twenty-two fountains across Washington have been repaired as part of the preparations for Independence Day, according to the White House.
One of the most publicized projects is the restoration of the Columbus Fountain, which stands in front of Union Station. The monument was built in 1912 to honor Christopher Columbus and commemorate his 1492 voyage.
On May 28, the White House shared before-and-after photos of the renovated fountain on social media. For years, the fountain had been dry and neglected, with graffiti, trash, and homeless encampments surrounding it.
Another notable project included the reopening of the fountain in Meridian Hill Park. The 13-basin cascading fountain is one of the longest in North America, according to the National Park Service. The fountain had been out of service for seven years before it was repaired and officially reopened in May.
Right across from the White House, Lafayette Park has been renovated and its fountains reopened.
Statues
Twenty-eight statues, including the Lincoln Statue at the Lincoln Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Statue at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial along the Tidal Basin, underwent an extensive cleaning ahead of the America 250 celebrations.
The administration also installed six new statues, including an equestrian statue of Caesar Rodney, a Founding Father who rode nearly 80 miles from Dover to Philadelphia on July 1, 1776, to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of signing the Declaration of Independence.
According to the National Park Service, Rodney made the journey despite serious illness and poor weather. It has long been regarded as a “symbol of personal sacrifice” for the ideals of liberty.
The statue is not new. It was removed from Wilmington, Delaware, in 2020 during racial justice protests. This year, the Trump administration moved it, along with 12 other bronze statues of Revolutionary War figures, to Freedom Plaza to mark the 250th anniversary.
In October last year, the White House added a large statue of George Washington to the Rose Garden. In March, bronze statues of Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson were also placed in the garden’s corners to complement the Washington statue.
Other Improvements
In addition to cleaning 45 monuments and memorials, the Department of the Interior has made a wide range of improvements across the city. Crews have removed more than 500 instances of graffiti and cleared 250 truckloads of debris from ponds throughout the city.
Infrastructure upgrades include the repair or installation of more than 1,143 benches, 1,695 lights, and 134 rat-resistant trash cans. Workers have also used more than 150 tons of material to fix potholes.
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