Trump’s Over-Budget ‘Vanity Projects’ Could Cost More Than $1.5 Billion—Mostly From Taxpayers

Key Facts

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool: $13.1 Million

The Trump administration is painting the basin of the pool “American flag blue,” according to Trump, and making other modifications to approve the pool’s water quality. Trump said last week renovations to the pool would cost $1.8 million, then increased the estimate to $5 or $6 million in a social media post Tuesday, disputing public records that show the pool will cost at least $13.1 million, funded by taxpayer dollars through the Department of Interior. Trump also claimed he didn’t know the company awarded a no-bid contract to perform the repairs, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, despite saying last month he recommended the contractor because he was familiar with their “unbelievable” work on swimming pools.

Triumphal Arch: $100 Million

The 250-foot-tall “Independence Arch” 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 arch, which would look similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, is slated to sit between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which is made up of Trump appointees, has given preliminary approval of the arch, but it faces a lengthy process before building can officially begin, including a lawsuit that could block its construction. Surveying of the proposed site began this week.

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.

Ballroom And East Wing Renovations: $1.4 Billion

The Trump administration leveled the entire East Wing of the White House to make way for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, underground bunker complex and visitor screening facility. Trump initially said the ballroom would cost $200 million, paid for by private donations, but raised the price tag to $400 million. The budget appears to have grown again. Senate Republicans recently asked for $1 billion in “security adjustments and upgrades” for the new East Wing as part of a larger $72 billion immigration enforcement package.

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 Presly, 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. 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.

Crucial Quote

Trump, touting the Rose Garden renovations in a speech this week, said the White House was a “s—t house” and “not properly taken care of” before he renovated it.

Multiple Projects Face Lawsuits

The nonprofit Cultural Landscape Foundation filed a lawsuit this week to block the reflecting pool renovations, arguing it didn’t follow federal guidelines for the approval process. 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 also sued to block construction of the ballroom, alleging it didn’t undergo the required approval process. A federal judge briefly stopped the project, ruling it needed congressional approval, but the ruling was overturned by an appeals court, pending a June hearing. The Eisenhower Executive building repainting also faces a legal challenge from the DC Preservation League and Cultural Heritage Partners, which asked a Washington, D.C. district court to require a review process before work can commence.

Further Reading

Trump Claims Ballroom Project Is ‘Under Budget’ Despite $1 Billion Request (Forbes)

See What Trump’s D.C. Arch Would Look Like—New Photos Released (Forbes)

Trump Reignites White House Ballroom Push After Shooting At Correspondents’ Dinner (Forbes)