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Trump Begins New Construction Project on White House Front Columns
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- President Trump has initiated repairs on the iconic North Portico columns of the White House, involving scaffolding and stone restoration work described as standard historic renovation.
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that the restoration includes plaster repairs extending from the door level to the top crowns of the columns, ordered by Trump after noticing damage.
- This project is part of a broader $1 billion-plus construction spree by Trump on the White House, which has included at least 18 major projects, some of which have bypassed normal review processes and sparked controversy.
- Unlike other large-scale projects, such as the demolition of the East Wing for a new ballroom, the column repairs are more modest in scope.
- Trump rejected a recommendation from the Commission of Fine Arts chairman to replace the Ionic columns with more ornate Corinthian ones, opting to retain the current design.
