President Donald Trump has been known as a builder throughout his life.

He has built hotels, casinos, golf courses, and other projects, and as president, Trump has been renovating places throughout Washington.

“President Trump promised to make D.C. safe and beautiful again for all its residents and visitors by removing violent criminals from the streets, cleaning up the parks, and making long-overdue renovations to public lands,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told The Epoch Times in an email.

Here are the places Trump is looking to renovate.

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Trump said on April 23 that his administration plans to apply an “American flag blue” coating to the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump estimated that the project would cost about $1.5 million and said contractors have already begun work.

He noted that he had initially considered a turquoise finish but ultimately chose the darker blue tone after a contractor’s recommendation.

“That’s the color I like—he talked me into it very easily,” Trump said.

“So it’s being done now. You’re going to end up with a beautiful, beautiful reflecting pool—the way it’s supposed to be. Much better than it ever was, actually.”

According to Trump, the renovation is expected to be completed before July 4, when the United States will mark the 250th anniversary of its independence.

In a video shared on social media, Trump said he recently visited the reflecting pool and described it as being in “terrible shape,” citing long-standing leaks.

He explained that an earlier proposal to remove and replace the granite lining would have taken up to three years and cost approximately $300 million. Instead, he said, he opted for a more cost-effective approach by working with contractors he had previously hired.

Trump first announced the effort on March 31, saying he was working with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to restore the pool, which he described as “absolutely filthy” and in need of attention.

Trump Kennedy Center

Trump announced on Feb. 1 that the Trump Kennedy Center will be closed for two years for renovations.

Trump, who serves as chairman of the performing arts center’s board, said the decision followed a year-long review involving contractors, musical experts, arts institutions, and other consultants.

In a social media post, he said that a temporary shutdown would allow for faster and higher-quality work by avoiding disruptions from ongoing performances and events.

“Based on these findings, and totally subject to Board approval, I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time, with a scheduled Grand Reopening that will rival and surpass anything that has taken place with respect to such a Facility before,” he said.

According to Trump, the center is expected to close in July, and construction will begin shortly thereafter. He said financing for the project is already fully secured.

The renovations will cost about $200 million, according to Trump.

The renovation is being challenged in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of preservation groups. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex-officio member of the center’s board, filed a separate lawsuit over the renaming of the institution.

White House Ballroom

Trump tore down the White House’s East Wing, which housed the office of the first lady, in order to build a ballroom that can host events such as state dinners.

Construction began in September 2025 on the ballroom, which will be 90,000 square feet and seat at least 900 people. The White House announced the project in July 2025, and the National Capital Planning Commission approved the ballroom project on April 2. It’s expected to be completed before Trump leaves office on Jan. 20, 2029.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that for more than 100 years, staff and occupants have “longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed.”

According to the Trump administration, presidents are “currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance.”

The ballroom project has been the subject of a lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. A federal appeals court on April 17 put on hold a lower court order that had halted construction, allowing the builders to proceed for now. The Department of Justice sought to have the case dismissed based on the security needs of presidential functions following the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

Independence Arch

Trump first revealed a model of the proposed arch at the White House in October 2025 at a dinner for those who contributed to the construction of the new White House ballroom.

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts voted unanimously on April 16 to advance the proposed triumphal arch to the next stage of review. The commissioners—each appointed by Trump—will evaluate a revised design before making a final decision at a future meeting.

The president recently promoted the project on social media, describing it as the “greatest and most beautiful” triumphal arch in the world and a lasting landmark for the Washington area.

Preliminary plans call for a 250-foot structure topped by a torch-bearing figure resembling the Statue of Liberty. The design includes two eagles near the top and four lions at the base, all finished in gold. The phrases “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” would be prominently inscribed on the monument.

The arch is proposed for a man-made island to be overseen by the National Park Service, located on the Virginia side of the Potomac River near Memorial Bridge, which connects to the Lincoln Memorial. At 250 feet, the structure would be significantly taller than the Lincoln Memorial, which is 99 feet tall, and roughly half the height of the Washington Monument.

Visually, the proposal draws strong comparisons to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, the landmark honoring those who fought for France during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. The Arc de Triomphe stands at approximately 164 feet.

According to Leavitt, the height is intended to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The proposal also has drawn legal opposition. A group of veterans and a historian, represented by the Public Citizen Litigation Group, have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block construction. The suit argues that the project would disrupt the historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, among other concerns.

Public Golf Courses

Late last year, the Trump administration took over the three public golf courses in the nation’s capital: East Potomac, Langston, and Rock Creek.

When the administration terminated the leases for the courses in December 2025, it said National Links Trust, which leased the courses from the National Park Service, had defaulted on its 50-year lease. The group said it was “devastated” by the decision.

The nonprofit said it “has consistently complied with all lease obligations“ as it works to ”ensure the brightest possible future for public golf in DC.”

National Links Trust stated that it invested more than $8.5 million in capital improvements, including short-term upgrades that more than doubled rounds and revenue while keeping green fees “well below the market average for area public courses.”

Two Washington-area golfers, Dave Roberts and Alex Dickson, sued the administration over its takeover of East Potomac Golf Links.

The complaint, filed in February, alleged that the project violated the National Environmental Policy Act. That law requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of major actions before proceeding.

According to the lawsuit, soil and debris from the demolition of the East Wing at the White House—including wires, pipes, bricks, and other materials—were dumped on portions of an East Potomac Golf Links course without the required environmental review.

The plaintiffs argued that the administration failed to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, which mandates that federal agencies consider how their actions affect historic properties. East Potomac Golf Links, located on federally managed land, has long been considered a historic public recreation site, the suit noted.

The suit also alleged that the Interior Department and the National Park Service violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs how federal agencies implement policy and make decisions.

The Interior Department has sought to get the case thrown out of court, saying that the plaintiffs have not established facts supporting a legitimate case. The department also said that the plaintiffs are suing over something that is premature, calling it a “fishing expedition” because the renovation project is only in its early stages.

The White House defended the administration’s decision to take over the golf courses, citing Trump’s experience in building them.

“As a private citizen, President Trump built some of the greatest golf courses in the world, and he is now extending his unmatched design skills and excellent eye for detail to D.C.’s public golf courses,” Rogers said. “The president and his extraordinary team will redevelop these decrepit golf courses in our nation’s capital to restore glamour and prestige.”