The next two months are pivotal for Trump's D.C. projects
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President Trump flies over the White House ballroom under construction. Photo: Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images
November and December are crunch time for President Trump's D.C. projects.
Why it matters: Several projects face construction milestones and design reviews in the coming weeks, as critics worry the admin will accelerate plans before Republicans potentially lose control of Congress.
What they're saying: "Prepare for a tsunami of activity," said Charles Birnbaum, head of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, which has joined groups suing the Trump administration over the Kennedy Center and other projects.
What's coming:
- Arch de Trump: Construction could begin on Nov. 5, the admin said in a court filing last week — the same day the National Capital Planning Commission could give final approval.
- West Potomac Park: A proposed redesign for part of the Tidal Basin area goes to design review on Nov. 19, then heads to the NCPC on Dec. 3. Preservationists worry the changes could pave the way for Trump's long-proposed Garden of Heroes, with life-size statues of figures like George Washington and Elvis Presley.
- East Potomac golf course: Trump has said he wants construction to begin on Nov. 15, sharing a design that appears to wipe out the island's perimeter running and biking paths and potentially its iconic cherry trees. Federal Judge Ana Reyes, who grilled Trump officials over tree removals, has ordered advance notice before major work can begin.
- Eisenhower Executive Office Building: The administration is accepting public comment through Nov. 16 on a proposal to paint the historic granite building Trump's favored white, so it can look more like the White House. Preservationists warn the paint could damage its iconic façade, while a government study admits it would diminish the 19th-century building's character.
What's next: There's a quickly advancing national permitting reform bill in the Senate, which critics worry will allow Trump to move faster on his projects.
- The legislation would reduce historic preservation reviews (some Democrats support the broader package as a way to speed up clean-energy projects nationwide).
- Preservationists — with 1,000 organizations and Tribal Nations across the country in support — are rallying against the bill on Nov. 9, the day it's expected to get a full Senate vote.