Trump Administration Advances Four Washington Construction Projects

The Trump administration has begun or completed four construction projects in Washington that together are expected to cost more than $1 billion. Work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool finished in early June after the surface was coated in blue paint at a final cost of $14.7 million, more than nine times the $1.5 million estimate given when the project was announced in April.

A filtration system added another $1.7 million. Within two weeks the water turned green and sections of paint began to peel; five people were arrested for vandalism and five others received citations.

Wing began in late 2025 to clear space for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom designed to seat 1,000 guests. Clark Construction is the contractor. The project was first estimated at $200 million, then raised to $400 million, and a later summary placed the total at $600 million, with roughly half expected to come from taxpayer-funded agencies.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued in December, arguing the demolition occurred without required review. A lower court ruled that Congress must approve the project; an appeals court has not yet decided whether work can continue.

Triumphal arch In October 2025 the administration announced plans for a 250-foot triumphal arch to be built at Memorial Circle between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. The National Endowment for the Humanities has allocated $15 million; an Axios report estimated the full cost at $100 million.

A group of veterans and a historian filed suit to stop construction, but no court order has been issued.

Kennedy Center The board of the John F.