Through “American flag” blue paint on the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool, a proposed “Independence Arch,” remodeling the Kennedy Center and tearing down part of the White House, Trump is pushing to make his mark on Washington.
WASHINGTON (CN) – Heavy machinery and construction workers in orange vests nearly outnumbered tourists on the National Mall on Wednesday as the nation’s capital underwent a transformation to celebrate its 250th year.
Plywood buildings and metal scaffolding are rising along the national park, marring the iconic panoramic views of the marble monuments and verdant landscaped lawns that tens of millions of visitors travel to see each year.
The massive construction project is thanks to the White House-backed Freedom 250, which is holding several events to celebrate the country’s anniversary over the coming months. And it comes as President Donald Trump works to reshape the nation’s capital in his own image.
The Freedom 250 was created by an executive order in January. It is separate from but partners with America250, the bipartisan commission created by Congress to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Huge metal fences surrounded workers from tourists and joggers, cutting off the one-mile stretch between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument. The unbroken Vista was designed to symbolize the relationship between the legislative and executive branches.
After such a setback, workers erected a large tent emblazoned with gold letters “Rededicate 250.” On Sunday, Freedom 250 invited Americans to join House Speaker Mike Johnson, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other administration officials to prepare for the nation’s birthday by “praying and rededicating our county as one nation to God.”
The event aims to include individuals from all faith traditions, listing Catholic, Christian and evangelical leaders in attendance, joined by conservative public figures and an American Orthodox rabbi.
According to Freedom 250, attendees will worship in front of the US Capitol at sunrise, followed by “a full day of prayer, music and testimony.”
In the coming weeks, the group will host the Great American State Fair. Few details are publicly available about the event, but the Freedom 250 website says it will showcase culture and pride from all 50 states, territories and federal agencies.
Preparations for the events restricted access to much of the National Center, closing roads along with the Smithsonian museums. The institution’s volunteers wander the area, guiding tourists through the construction areas.
The disruptions to the city’s cornerstone add to a growing list that includes Trump’s demolition of the East Wing and construction of a ballroom, the proposed renovation of the Kennedy Center AND proposed the 250-foot “Independence Arch.”
On the other side of the Washington Monument, additional perimeter lines, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool – one of the most popular and filmed places in Washington – leaving the public and the ducks that usually occupy the shallow pool on the outskirts.
Trump has requested that the reflecting pool be repainted “American flag” blue ahead of his planned July 4th celebrations.
Instead of mirroring the Egyptian obelisk above the 555-foot Washington Monument, visitors can see construction workers from Trump’s hand-picked team painting rectangles of various shades of blue along the pool.
From the Lincoln Memorial, the public could see several contractors from Atlantic Industrial Coatings, who previously worked on projects at Trump’s golf club in Virginia, drive around the site in a golf cart adorned with an American flag. The Interior Department says it plans to pay the firm $13.1 million for the work.
The Trump administration has defended the project as necessary to repair and improve the swimming pool, which faces significant problems caused by faulty plumbing in its filtration system that results in a recurring layer of green algae every year. But the project does not include work to address structural issues and will likely require further repairs in the coming years.
Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed as Trump has tried to unilaterally exercise presidential authority over everything from domestic grant funding to military action abroad, and his renovation projects are no exception. On Monday a cultural group sued the administration on the think tank, arguing that the government had once again moved unilaterally forward on a project that requires congressional notification and a review process.
National Guard troops continue to patrol D.C., albeit in smaller numbers and without the large military vehicles that drew the ire of residents last year. They were among those who visited the DC War Memorial to play arcade games set up as a protest against the Iran war.
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