From Dulles airport to the proposed 'Arc de Trump': See how Trump has changed Washington, DC, during his second term.

Shortly aft taking office, Trump's Department of Government Efficiency spearheaded a sweeping dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, aliases USAID.

The section froze the agency's foreign aid, slashed its unit and programs, and yet moved to dismantle overmuch of the agency's operations and displacement remaining functions to the State Department.

Former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush joined critics successful condemning the move, pinch Obama calling it a "travesty."

Administration officials framed it arsenic a cost-cutting and accountability effort, pinch Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying USAID had "strayed from its original mission" and that "the gains were excessively fewer and the costs were excessively high" astir the clip of its effective shuttering.

The agency, founded successful 1961 to antagonistic the power of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, was housed successful the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center successful DC, alongside different authorities agencies.

Following the agency's general folding into the State Department connected July 1, 2025, its staff, offices, and signage were removed from the building that erstwhile housed it.

In August 2025, the US Department of Labor debuted its ain Trump banners, initially to commemorate Labor Day but kept up passim the nation's 250th day celebrations aft receiving a "tremendous affirmative response," a department spokesperson told The New York Times.

The Department of Labor's banners publication "American Workers First" and picture the president alongside Theodore Roosevelt, who helped laic the groundwork for the modern Labor Department.

A September study by Sen. Adam Schiff of California besides mentioned that the US Department of Health and Human Services had solicited 88-foot-tall banners promoting wellness caput Robert F. Kennedy Jr's "Make America Healthy Again" motto astatine an estimated costs of $33,726.

In December, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts was renamed by its committee to the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.

The sanction alteration came aft a unanimous ballot by the center's committee of trustees, which the president had mostly reshaped.

"I was honored by [the renaming]," Trump said successful the days pursuing the name change. "It's board, it's a very distinguished board, astir distinguished group successful the country. And I was amazed by it."

Renaming the center, created by Congress arsenic a memorial to US President John F. Kennedy, requires legislature approval. The board's determination to rename it faced disapproval astatine the time, including from immoderate members of the Kennedy family. Some performers canceled booked appearances successful the center, while legal battles emerged arsenic Democratic members of Congress sought to artifact the sanction change.

In March, the center announced it would acquisition renovations starting this summer, during which it would temporarily region operations, pinch activity expected to past 2 years.

But connected May 29, a federal judge ruled that Trump's sanction had been added illegally to the halfway and blocked the planned summertime closure.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said that the management would beryllium "complying pinch the court's bid while evaluating each ineligible options to sphere this revitalization and admit President Trump's leadership," the Associated Press reported.

Trump's sanction was removed from the building's facade connected June 13, and the Kennedy Center is continuing its operations while the management evaluates its ineligible options.

The US Institute of Peace was different DC institution that saw Trump's sanction added to it.

The Congress-funded, nonprofit deliberation vessel was renamed by the management successful a State Department announcement that described Trump arsenic "the top dealmaker successful our nation's history," per a social media announcement.

"Marco named it aft me," the president said astatine a Board of Peace gathering successful February, referring to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "I had thing to do pinch it, I committedness I didn't. I swear. I had nary idea."

Rubio showed his support connected X, posting, "President Trump will beryllium remembered by history arsenic the President of Peace. It's clip our State Department show that."

In October, Trump first projected the building of a monumental arch, dubbed the "Independence Arch," to commemorate America's 250th anniversary.

The arch, projected to beryllium 250 feet tall, would beryllium crossed the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial connected the Memorial Circle roundabout adjacent Arlington National Cemetery.

While building connected the arch has not yet begun, surveying of the onshore plot has started, moreover amid an ongoing suit successful which a group of Vietnam veterans sued to artifact the management from building the monument.

The group based on that the building "would dishonor their subject and overseas work and the bequest of their comrades and different veterans buried astatine Arlington National Cemetery," per the lawsuit.

In consequence to a ineligible situation from legislature Democrats, a White House spokesperson told The Washington Post of the structure, "It will heighten the visitant acquisition astatine Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and each Americans alike, serving arsenic a ocular reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by truthful galore American heroes passim our 250 twelvemonth history truthful we tin bask our freedoms today,"

In May, the Trump-appointed US Commission of Fine Arts approved the arch's design, partially clearing the measurement for its construction.

The approved revised creation for the arch — which immoderate person nicknamed "Arc de Trump" — features a fig reminiscent of Lady Liberty atop the structure, gilded eagles, gold-lettering inscriptions, and a 360-degree study platform unfastened to visitors.

The arch, which would beryllium astir half arsenic gangly arsenic the Washington Monument obelisk, would dwarf France's historical Arc de Triomphe, the world's astir celebrated triumphal arch, and beryllium the tallest triumphal arch successful the world.

A preliminary assessment by the National Park Service, released connected June 8, estimated that the task would require year-round, 20-hour-a-day building to beryllium completed wrong a three-year timeframe.

On July 9, the National Capital Planning Commission, the national agency overseeing readying successful the nation's capital, voted 8-1 to springiness the task preliminary support and requested further information, including an study of really national tallness restrictions use to the project, earlier issuing a last reappraisal expected later this year.

In October 2025, the White House's East Wing was demolished, leaving only rubble down and clearing the measurement for the president's 90,000-square-foot, $400 cardinal ballroom project.

Previously, the largest arena abstraction successful the White House was the East Room, which had a capacity of astir 200 people. For larger events, tents were erected connected the South Lawn.

"For much than 150 years, each President has dreamt astir having a Ballroom astatine the White House to accommodate group for expansive parties, State Visits, etc.," Trump wrote connected Truth Social successful October. "I americium honored to beryllium the first President to yet get this much-needed task underway — pinch zero costs to the American Taxpayer!"

The president has said the task will beryllium funded by backstage donors, including Big Tech companies and able individuals.

The demolition of the wing, primitively added successful the early 20th period and expanded successful 1942, altered the destruction of the president's mansion and forced the relocation of the first lady's staff offices.

It was met pinch disapproval from preservationists, who said the president needed to get legislature support for the project.

"It's not his house. It's your house. And he's destroying it," erstwhile Secretary of State and statesmanlike campaigner Hillary Clinton wrote connected X aft photos of the demolition emerged.

Trump has defended the task by pointing to past presidents' renovations, description s, and modernizations of the White House, and by emphasizing the ballroom's value for hosting ample events. The management has besides dismissed criticism of the building arsenic "manufactured outrage."

The ballroom will beryllium the largest change Trump has made to the White House — others see Rose Garden renovations, caller marble floors, and golden embellishments. The caller ballroom will besides impede the South Lawn's historical driveway, making it nary longer circular.

The task was temporarily blocked by a national judge connected March 31, who ruled that the president must activity congressional approval earlier proceeding pinch the renovation.

A national appeals tribunal later paused the judge's order, allowing building to proceed while the lawsuit proceeds.

As of May, the ballroom building was projected to beryllium completed by September 2028, the president told reporters.

In summertime 2025, the president renovated the White House's Rose Garden, which is often utilized for property conferences and larger gatherings.

The renewal paved complete the writer pinch light-colored chromatic while keeping the garden's namesake roseate bushes, citing the ft postulation during events arsenic the main logic for the project. Most recently, caller statues person been added to the Rose Garden.

It wasn't the first clip the Rose Garden had changed looks, arsenic it famously did nether the Kennedy administration, erstwhile roses, magnolia trees, and different perennial and yearly flowers were added.

In 2020, Melania Trump oversaw a plot renewal that included the summation of limestone walkways on the unfastened lawn.

Also connected the Potomac River is the East Potomac Golf Links, a nationalist play people that the president has group his sights connected for a imaginable takeover.

In December 2025, the Trump management issued the National Links Trust — a nonprofit that operates and maintains nationalist play courses successful Washington, DC, nether a 50-year lease pinch the National Park Service — pinch a termination notice, The Athletic reported.

The National Links Trust said it was "devastated" by the decision, saying it "has consistently complied pinch each lease obligations arsenic we activity to guarantee the brightest imaginable early for nationalist play successful DC."

Of Trump's engagement pinch nationalist play courses, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Golf Digest, "As a backstage citizen, President Trump built immoderate of the top play courses successful the world, and he is now extending his unmatched creation skills and fantabulous oculus for item to D.C.'s nationalist play courses."

In May, the Trump management and the National Links Trust reached a deal keeping the nonprofit successful complaint of DC's 3 municipal play courses while clearing the measurement for the renovations astatine East Potomac, Golf Digest reported.

During the demolition of the White House East Wing and the building of the caller ballroom, locals person reported that the parkland has been turned into a dump for construction rubble and debris.

A lawsuit revenge successful February sought to restrict Trump's takeover of the play courses. It said that dumping the rubble connected the people grounds is "unlawful and perchance hazardous" owed to the imaginable beingness of asbestos.

Testing results later released by the National Park Service recovered that the debris dumped connected the fields contained harmful chemicals specified arsenic lead, chromium, PCBs, pesticides, and petroleum byproducts, though the agency concluded that the measured levels did not airs a nationalist wellness risk.

Preservationists person sought independent testing. As of precocious July, the fenced rubble mound remained connected the course, and Trump said renovations would begin successful September.

Lafayette Square, a 7-acre nationalist parkland straight northbound of the White House, has besides seen changes during the 2nd Trump administration.

The parkland is simply a celebrated attraction for visitors acknowledgment to its views of the People's House, but successful caller months it has undergone a makeover.

In precocious January, the Washington Post reported that the parkland had been fenced disconnected arsenic portion of an betterment task and that it had been designated a National Historic Landmark since 1970.

The work, initially expected to past done May, focused connected fixing fountains, sprinklers, benches, and curbs. It is portion of a broader inaugural undertaken by the National Park Service to "beautify," restore, and upgrade nationalist parks successful the nation's capital.

The New York Times besides reported that the president was willing successful replacing the park's ceramic walkways pinch granite to forestall protesters from removing bricks and throwing them.

By April 21, local news outlet DC News Now reported that the park's fountain was backmost successful operation.

In July, the management unveiled plans to build permanent fencing astir the parkland to heighten information operations adjacent the White House complex, though critics person said that specified fencing could undermine the park's agelong history arsenic a gathering spot for visitors and protesters alike.

West Potomac Park, located conscionable westbound of the Jefferson Memorial on the Potomac River, serves arsenic a nationalist multipurpose field, wherever locals often shape sports and different events.

Trump's Garden of Heroes, a planned 250-statue monument commemorating American icons, is different of the president's galore projects astir Washington, DC.

In May, the president announced that the riverside parkland would soon beryllium the location of the Garden of Heroes, contempt lingering questions astir task approval, timeline, and costs.

Trump described the existing parkland arsenic a "totally BARREN section of Prime Waterfront Real Estate on our Mighty Potomac River" connected a station connected Truth Social.

A group of preservation and taste organizations revenge a federal lawsuit successful June seeking to artifact the project, alleging that the management had bypassed required approval, preservation, and biology procedures.

The administration, which has many times said the activity is moving forward, deed backmost astatine the lawsuit.

"It is beyond comprehension why anyone would writer complete an accumulation that celebrates American greatness by highlighting immoderate of the astir pivotal figures successful our nation's history," Katie Martin, a spokesperson for the Interior Department, said successful a statement, The Washington Post reported.

In April, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which stretches betwixt the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial, started undergoing a makeover that was completed successful June.

The renewal progressive resurfacing the pool, which has agelong had leaks and algae blooms, pinch a waterproof compound and coating the formerly grey excavation an "American emblem blue," arsenic the president described the color.

The management defended the renewal arsenic an expedited repair up of America's 250th day celebrations, pinch a Department of the Interior spokesperson saying that the bluish aboveground "will heighten the visitant acquisition by making the excavation bespeak the expansive Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument."

There were questions astir the costs and process of the project, reportedly awarded nether a no-bid contract. The Cultural Landscape Foundation, a DC-based preservation nonprofit, sued the management days aft the task began, alleging that the renewal was conducted without completing the due reviews required nether national preservation law.

The renovation, initially described arsenic a $1.8 cardinal project, has since been reported to person contracts exceeding $16 million.

An Interior Department spokesperson told the Times that the higher value tag "reflects the effort basal to expedite the timeline of completing the leak prevention coating task — much people, much materials, much equipment, and longer hours up of our 250th."

By June, the task was announced arsenic complete, and the updated colour could beryllium seen successful outer images (above). However, wrong weeks, the excavation had started turning greenish again, and sections of the caller aboveground had started peeling. It was drained later successful July and continues to acquisition repairs.

A 4,000-seat arena was erected connected the White House South Lawn for a UFC fighting event. The building was built to big the "UFC Freedom 250" arena connected June 14, commemorating the nation's 250th day and Trump's 80th birthday.

The 30-foot-wide, 600-ton alloy cage featured a 92-foot canopy — nicknamed "The Claw" — covering the fighting octagon ring.

An further shape pinch ample screens was besides built successful the adjacent Ellipse, a parkland southbound of the White House, wherever complete 120,000 members of the nationalist attended, organizers said. That's connected apical of 4,000 spectators surrounding the ring, which included astatine slightest 1,200 active-duty members of the equipped forces arsenic good arsenic management officials and different VIP guests.

A suit filed by 2 Virginia residents against the National Park Service sought to artifact the event, alleging that the agency unlawfully authorized the administration's usage of the South Lawn.

Over $60 cardinal was spent by UFC and affiliated groups connected backing the arena and building the structure. The National Park Service tribunal filing added that 7 national agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, had besides "allocated important resources and manpower."

Trump later compared the fighting cage to France's Eiffel Tower, which was constructed arsenic a impermanent installation for the 1889 World's Fair and has remained successful spot since.

"We're building thing successful beforehand of the ​White House that's rather charismatic to a batch of people," the president said connected a video posted to his TikTok account. "And I'm looking astatine it, and possibly we'll ne'er ever ​take it down."

By June 20, workers had begun taking isolated the building and removing it from the White House grounds.

On July 29, the management unveiled a $22.5 billion renovation scheme for Washington Dulles International Airport.

It would grow the airdrome by 5 cardinal quadrate feet, adhd gates, create parking spaces person to the airdrome entrance, grow international customs facilities, and heighten walkability wrong the airport, which is often criticized for its analyzable design, according to the announcement.

It would besides destruct the airport's "people movers," bus-like shuttles that person connected the main terminals and gates since 1962, and create a U-shaped underground AeroTrain connecting the concourses.

The caller creation would activity pinch United Airlines' existing infrastructure astatine the airdrome — 1 of the company's main hubs — and would besides see a larger United Polaris business-class lounge.

"This translator builds connected United's semipermanent finance successful our hub to present the world-class airdrome acquisition our employees, customers, and millions of travelers deserve," United CEO Scott Kirby wrote successful the Department of Transportation's property release.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said building could statesman successful outpouring 2027.