What is Trump building in DC? Full list of projects ranked by size
President Donald Trump’s effort to reshape Washington, D.C. has grown into a sprawling portfolio of construction and renovation projects stretching from the White House grounds to the National Mall.
Among the projects the president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the nation’s capital is a towering Triumphal Arch, a massive new White House ballroom, a renovation of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and rebuilding a golf course in East Potomac Park.
The projects vary widely in size and cost, with some that are said to be paid for through private donations and others using hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds.
Here, Newsweek ranks the projects by their estimated costs and size.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email.
White House Ballroom And East Wing
The most expensive project is the new White House ballroom and East Wing complex, which will replace the historic East Wing that was demolished last year. The planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom is expected to be fully completed by the summer of 2028.
Trump has repeatedly said the cost of the ballroom would not exceed $400 million, and that it would be financed entirely through his own money and private donors.
But The Washington Post reported in June that a detailed project summary prepared for the White House by a contractor put the total cost of construction at $600 million. According to the newspaper, more than half was expected to come from taxpayer money through the Secret Service, the White House Military Office and the Executive Residence.
The Supreme Court last month allowed the White House to continue construction on the ballroom project as lawsuits over it play out.
“We are living in the Golden Age of America, and this Building will be one of the Greatest ever constructed in Washington, D.C. When completed in the Summer of 2028, the magnificent Ballroom and Military Complex will be something that the entire Country is very proud of,” Trump posted in response to the decision on Truth Social. He later said the project was under budget and ahead of schedule.
Kennedy Center
Trump has pushed for a massive renovation of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a massive building that sprawls across more than 15 million square feet.
The center’s Trump-aligned board is fighting in court to move forward with plans to add Trump’s name to the building’s facade and to close the center for two years to undergo renovations supported by nearly $257 million provided by Congress to fund repairs.
Roma Daravi, the center’s vice president for public relations, told The Associated Press that a chunk of ceiling fell inside the center’s main hallway this weekend, saying it underscores the need to shut down the historic arts venue.
In May, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered Trump’s name be removed from the center’s face after finding the board’s attempt to rename it was illegal. He also blocked the administration from closing the venue for renovations.
The board then voted in August to return Trump’s name to the facade by calling it: “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump.” Attorneys for the Department of Justice have argued donations for renovations will dry up without Trump’s name on the building.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has suggested the president would be able to raise as much as $500 million in donations or renovations.
“It’s not usually how it works,” Lutnick said when asked why adding Trump’s name could not wait until work was completed. “The idea, when you have the greatest philanthropist, the guy who’s going to raise you $500 million, you just need him to agree.
“Whatever the terms are, since you know he is the most credible person in the world, when he says he’s going to raise the money…you need to induce him, entice him.”
Triumphal Arch
One of Trump’s most ambitious projects is the planned 250-foot-tall Triumphal Arch, which will stand between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The Trump administration has not presented an official estimate for the arch, but Axios has reported that it could cost as much as $100 million.
The arch design has already received early approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose commissioners were all appointed by Trump.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on Thursday that excavation work at the site of the planned arch will start over the next two weeks.
“This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture, honoring the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and befitting the most powerful Capital in the World,” Burgum wrote on X.
An artistic rendering of the arch shared by Burgum shows a towering, white arch with gold details, stamped with the words “ONE NATION UNDER GOD.” At its top is a Lady Liberty-like golden figure with wings and a torch, as well as gold eagles with their wings spread outward.
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
The renovation of the roughly 2,000-foot-long Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has turned into an ongoing saga.
Trump initially suggested it could be refurbished in a matter of weeks for about $1.5 million ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations this summer, but the price tag ballooned to more than $16 million by June as the project faced problems, including peeling blue sealant and a return of green algae.
The president blamed the sealant issues on vandalism without providing evidence, and felony charges were brought against a former Olympic canoeist, David Hearn, after he was accused of vandalizing the pool. Those charges were dropped in July after prosecutors acknowledged that damage was caused by a bungled installation rather than vandalism.
Earlier this month, it emerged the Trump administration has awarded a $2.7 million contract to a Massachusetts company to try to fix the algae issue that has plagued the reflecting pool.
East Potomac Golf Links
The president also wants to overhaul the century-old public East Potomac Golf Links, which span 227 acres in East Potomac Park, and turn it into a world-class golf venue.
No estimates for the cost of the project have been released. The Trump administration has said private contributions will support the redevelopment, but lawmakers have sought clarification over whether taxpayer money will also be used.
Burgum released a rendering of the proposed renovation in May. After touring the site in June, Trump said work would begin on September 1 and “go quickly.” However, the AP reported on Friday that there had been no signs of activity on the grounds.
The project faces an ongoing lawsuit from the D.C. Preservation League and two local residents, who argue the redevelopment could violate federal environmental and historic preservation laws as well as threaten public access to the park.
East Potomac Park, including the East Potomac Golf Links, was created by a congressional act in 1897, which established the park for the “recreation and the pleasure of the people.” The course opened in 1919.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: James Rushton and Trevor Davies.
