Donald Trump is reshaping Washington with a series of grand construction projects that are rapidly altering the capital’s most recognisable landmarks, in what New York Magazine journalist Ben Terris describes as a bid for “architectural immortality”.
At the centre of the effort is a new ballroom at the White House, where the East Wing has been demolished to make way for a vast event space. The project has become a defining feature of the President’s second term, alongside plans for a monumental arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
The Supreme Court last week allowed construction of the ballroom to continue in a 5-4 decision. The justices did not rule on whether the project was lawful, but said the National Trust for Historic Preservation was unlikely to have standing to challenge it in federal court.
The proposed ballroom was initially estimated to cost about $400 million, but the projected bill has since risen to at least $600 million, according to court reporting. The White House has said the building will provide a larger venue for official events and reduce the need for temporary marquees on the grounds.
Trump’s planned Washington arch
Work on the planned arch is also moving ahead. The Trump administration has said excavation at Memorial Circle, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, will begin within two weeks.
The proposed structure would stand 250ft high and feature white stone, gold detailing, eagles and a winged figure carrying a torch. Its design has received early approval from the US Commission of Fine Arts, although the National Capital Planning Commission has yet to give final approval.
Critics argue that the arch would interfere with historic views across Washington and say the project requires congressional authorisation. A lawsuit brought by veterans and an architectural historian is seeking to halt the work.
The National Park Service has warned that the monument would have an adverse effect on sightlines linking several of the capital’s most important landmarks. The administration maintains that the project builds on earlier proposals for a monument at the site.
Trump’s wider programme includes renovations to the Kennedy Center, work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the redevelopment of a public golf course in East Potomac Park. Taken together, the schemes represent an unusually personal intervention in Washington’s monumental landscape.
Terris argues that the projects are not simply practical improvements but part of the President’s effort to leave a permanent mark on the city. The ballroom and arch, in particular, would place Trump’s taste and ambitions directly alongside the symbols of earlier presidents and the nation’s founding history.
