Erkki Forster
Thu, February 19, 2026
Chip Somodevilla/Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Donald Trump is dumping the wreckage of his East Wing teardown onto a public park in D.C.—and locals are fuming.
Since reducing the White House’s historic East Wing to nothing but mangled metal and rubble to make way for his gigantic $400 million ballroom, the 79-year-old president has been piling the debris onto East Potomac Park, where he plans to build a luxury golf complex.
An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on October 23, 2025. / Eric Lee/Getty Images
According to The New York Times, a National Park Service memo estimated that Trump will end up offloading some 30,000 cubic yards of soil, or around 2,000 truckloads, onto the park, which is already home to an affordable public golf course.
Locals fear Trump’s plan to transform East Potomac Park's golf course into a championship-level complex would price out everyday golfers. / Tim Sloan/Getty Images
East Potomac Golf Links was managed by a nonprofit, National Links Trust, until Trump terminated its 50-year lease soon after he began destroying the East Wing in October.
The billionaire president, a golf course developer, told reporters last month that he would turn the links into “a beautiful world-class U.S. Open-caliber course,” yet another piece of his tacky makeover of the nation’s capital.
“Ideally, we’re going to have major tournaments there and everything else. It’s going to bring a lot of business into Washington,” he said.
But locals fear Trump’s plan to transform the course into a championship-level complex would price out everyday golfers, who now pay just $42 for 18 holes, a rare bargain. At Trump’s Miami golf course, the cheapest round costs $215, according to The Times. A hot dog goes for $24.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers called the golf course “decrepit” and said Trump was restoring “glamour and prestige.” / Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
“It’ll be a real loss for a lot of people in the city,” Bryan King, a 68-year-old mural painter from Arlington, Virginia, told The Times while playing at the course. “I’m not happy about it.
“There’s plenty of very expensive country clubs in this area already,” his son Eamon King said. “This has always been kind of, like, the people’s course.”
But when reached for comment by the Daily Beast, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers called the golf course “decrepit” and said Trump was restoring “glamour and prestige.”
“President Trump promised to make D.C. safe and beautiful again for all its residents and visitors by removing violent criminals from the streets, cleaning up the parks, and making long-overdue renovations to public lands,” Rogers said in a statement.
“As a private citizen, President Trump built some of the greatest golf courses in the world, and he is now extending his unmatched design skills and excellent eye for detail to D.C.’s public golf courses. The President and his extraordinary team will redevelop these decrepit golf courses in our nation’s capital to restore glamour and prestige.”
Vietnam War vets sue Trump over his beloved arch and claim he skipped congressional approval
Ariana Baio
Fri, February 20, 2026
Three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian have sued President Donald Trump to stop the construction of his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., claiming it would obstruct a historically significant view between Arlington House and the Lincoln Memorial.
Three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian have sued President Donald Trump to stop the construction of his 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., claiming the president had not sought proper approval for it.
The veterans and historian, represented by the nonprofit progressive advocacy group Public Citizen, say the proposed arch would stand in Memorial Circle and obstruct the “historically significant view” between Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
“The President’s planned arch will be a continuous visual affront to this principle and a personal affront to people, like me, who have fought for this Nation and devoted their careers to serving it,” Michael Lemmon, the lead plaintiff in the case and a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, said in a statement.
The arch, referred to as “Independence Arch,” is still in the planning stages. But its location would have it stand between the Arlington House and the Lincoln Memorial, which stand on opposite sides of the Potomac River to symbolize the national reconciliation of the nation after the Civil War.
The plaintiffs say that, as a commemorative work in the nation’s capital, the arch requires approval by Congress, the Secretary of the Interior, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission.
Trump's new construction pursuit has been nicknamed 'Arch de Trump.’ Now a veterans group is suing over its planned construction (Getty Images)
It does not appear that the design plans have been submitted to any of the named commissions or consulted with the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission. However, it’s unclear if the president has approved design plans to go before the commissions.
“The Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world. It will enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250 year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today,” White House Spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.
“President Trump will continue to honor our veterans and give the greatest Nation on earth — America — the glory it deserves.”
Trump has reportedly favored the largest proposed design of the arch at 250 feet – seeing it as a symbol of national pride ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.
Shaun Byrnes, one of the plaintiffs and a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Vietnam War, said in a statement: “I fear this massive expression of domination will overshadow the values and spirit of those who valiantly served our country and lie in Arlington National Cemetery: duty, honor, sacrifice and love of country.”
Jon Gundersen, also a plaintiff and veteran of the U.S. Army who served in the Vietnam War, said Arlington National Cemetery and the view to Lincoln Memorial “should not be desecrated by the planned Arch.”
The new lawsuit seeking to intervene in Trump’s latest construction project plan is similar to another, brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, seeking to stop the president from building his 90,000-square-foot ballroom attached to the White House.
In addition to the proposed ‘Independence Arch,’ Trump has sought to build a massive ballroom attached to the White House, add his name to various transportation hubs, embellish the Oval Office with gilded features and pave-over the White House Rose Garden (AFP via Getty Images)More
Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has prioritized putting his personal design preferences in and on federal buildings.
In the lawsuit over the ballroom, a federal judge asked the Trump administration to uphold its promise to submit design plans to the Commission of Fine Arts and National Capital Planning Commission before construction begins.
Trump fired all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts in October and installed seven allies. The group, which includes a 26-year-old White House staffer and Trump’s former White House ballroom architect, approved the proposed ballroom designs Thursday.
Ariana Baio
Fri, February 20, 2026
Three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian have sued President Donald Trump to stop the construction of his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., claiming it would obstruct a historically significant view between Arlington House and the Lincoln Memorial.
Three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian have sued President Donald Trump to stop the construction of his 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., claiming the president had not sought proper approval for it.
The veterans and historian, represented by the nonprofit progressive advocacy group Public Citizen, say the proposed arch would stand in Memorial Circle and obstruct the “historically significant view” between Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
“The President’s planned arch will be a continuous visual affront to this principle and a personal affront to people, like me, who have fought for this Nation and devoted their careers to serving it,” Michael Lemmon, the lead plaintiff in the case and a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, said in a statement.
The arch, referred to as “Independence Arch,” is still in the planning stages. But its location would have it stand between the Arlington House and the Lincoln Memorial, which stand on opposite sides of the Potomac River to symbolize the national reconciliation of the nation after the Civil War.
The plaintiffs say that, as a commemorative work in the nation’s capital, the arch requires approval by Congress, the Secretary of the Interior, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission.
Trump's new construction pursuit has been nicknamed 'Arch de Trump.’ Now a veterans group is suing over its planned construction (Getty Images)
It does not appear that the design plans have been submitted to any of the named commissions or consulted with the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission. However, it’s unclear if the president has approved design plans to go before the commissions.
“The Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world. It will enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250 year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today,” White House Spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.
“President Trump will continue to honor our veterans and give the greatest Nation on earth — America — the glory it deserves.”
Trump has reportedly favored the largest proposed design of the arch at 250 feet – seeing it as a symbol of national pride ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.
Shaun Byrnes, one of the plaintiffs and a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Vietnam War, said in a statement: “I fear this massive expression of domination will overshadow the values and spirit of those who valiantly served our country and lie in Arlington National Cemetery: duty, honor, sacrifice and love of country.”
Jon Gundersen, also a plaintiff and veteran of the U.S. Army who served in the Vietnam War, said Arlington National Cemetery and the view to Lincoln Memorial “should not be desecrated by the planned Arch.”
The new lawsuit seeking to intervene in Trump’s latest construction project plan is similar to another, brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, seeking to stop the president from building his 90,000-square-foot ballroom attached to the White House.
In addition to the proposed ‘Independence Arch,’ Trump has sought to build a massive ballroom attached to the White House, add his name to various transportation hubs, embellish the Oval Office with gilded features and pave-over the White House Rose Garden (AFP via Getty Images)More
Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has prioritized putting his personal design preferences in and on federal buildings.
In the lawsuit over the ballroom, a federal judge asked the Trump administration to uphold its promise to submit design plans to the Commission of Fine Arts and National Capital Planning Commission before construction begins.
Trump fired all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts in October and installed seven allies. The group, which includes a 26-year-old White House staffer and Trump’s former White House ballroom architect, approved the proposed ballroom designs Thursday.
Trump picks his 26-year-old ‘receptionist’ assistant to sit on review panel for his White House ballroom plan
Ariana Baio
Wed, February 18, 2026
President Donald Trump has tapped a 26-year-old with no known art expertise to serve on the federal arts commission that will will review his White House ballroom plans.
Chamberlain Harris, who serves as the executive assistant to the president and deputy director of Oval Office operations, appears to be the youngest member on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts currently.
The commission, comprised of seven members with “expertise in the arts,” is tasked with reviewing the “design and aesthetic” of all construction projects within Washington, D.C and approving buildings attached to the White House.
The commission will approve Trump’s new $400 million White House ballroom plan as well as his Arc de Triomphe-style arch. In October, the president fired all previous members of the Commission of Fine Arts to make room for his own appointments.
Among those the president has chosen to help push through his new plan is Harris. But the 26-year-old, who also served as the “Receptionist of the United States” during the first Trump administration, also appears to have limited arts experience, The Washington Post reports.
Harris, 26, appears to be the youngest member of the US Commission of Fine Arts – tasked with reviewing the president's $400 million ballroom plans (Commission of Fine Arts)
According to the Commission of Fine Arts, Harris managed Trump’s presidential portrait project alongside the National Portrait Gallery and White House Historical Association after he left the White House in 2021. She has a Bachelor of Arts in political science from SUNY Albany.
“President Trump has an incredible eye for the arts, and only selects the most talented people possible,” Davis Ingle, a White House spokesperson, said.
In addition to Harris, Trump has tapped his former ballroom architect, James C. McCrery II, to serve on the commission. McCrery has stepped down as the primary architect on Trump’s project and recused himself from the Commission of Fine Arts’ review of the ballroom to prevent a conflict of interest.
Rodney Mims Cook Jr., the founder of the National Monuments Foundation, is currently serving as the chairman of the commission. Other members include Mary Anne Carter, the chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts; Roger Kimball, a conservative arts critic; Pam Patenaude, the former deputy secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the first Trump administration; and Matthew Taylor, a film director.
In addition to the Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission is also tasked with reviewing Trump’s ballroom plans. The president has also installed allies on the National Capital Planning Commission.
A rendering of President Donald Trump's 'New East Wing' at the White House, including his nearly 90,000 square foot ballroom (The White House)
Trump’s demolition of the East Wing caused uproar (Getty Images)
The new White House ballroom, which could be named for Trump, will be a 89,000 square foot entertaining space for the president and first lady to host state dinners and other events. While the president has raved about the new constructions, it’s been subject to controversy.
Initially, Trump said the addition would not interfere with the current structure of the White House, but later tore down the historic East Wing to make room for it. White House officials said the East Wing needed to be removed to make the structure sounder.
Trump also initially believed the ballroom would only cost $200 million, but the price has increased to $400 million. Trump has sought private donations to help cover the costs, also raising concern about the ethical implications of major corporations giving money for the ballroom.
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