Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyle(Getty)Donald Trump developed a “new fixation” on Washington, D.C.'s appearance after observing the city on his way to federal court for election-interference charges in August 2023, according to a Semafor report.He reportedly viewed D.C. as a “second-tier swamp town” due to crime and homelessness, inspiring a vision for a drastic makeover of the capital. Upon re-entering the White House in January 2025, Trump launched a federal incursion, deploying the National Guard to the streets, an action that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser opposed and a study found had no measurable effect on crime. Trump has since intensified his “beautification project,” which includes plans to rip out the historic East Wing for a ballroom, replace the Rose Garden lawn, and install a 250-foot-tall “Triumphal Arch.”Current 250th anniversary celebrations organized by his administration, such as the Great American State Fair, have faced significant issues, including artist dropouts, dwindling crowds, power failures, and a stage collapse during a rehearsal. In fullInsider reveals the moment Trump decided he wanted to make over DC in his own visionMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

The redevelopment of a public golf course, extensions to the White House and dreams of a triumphal arch: Donald Trump seems to have a growing spate of building projects on the…

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President has remained enthusiastic about the projects, even as many have been hit with lawsuits and other problems

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What Trump saw in the summer of 2023 was the beginning of his ‘new fixation,’ according to insiders

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