Whitmire: Why can’t Donald Trump stop painting stuff gold?
Sometimes, the vandals leave an expensive mark you can't clean off.
Ryan Cooper 
This is an opinion column.
Donald Trump is aggressively rebranding Washington, and his signature color is gold. From an Oval Office that resembles a discount showroom to corridors modeled after casino buffets, the President is obsessed with leaving a gilded mark on the capital.
The Cost of Gilded Ambition
This week, the National Park Service revealed the latest phase of a $5 million, taxpayer-funded project: the regilding of two statues near the Lincoln Memorial. Originally gifted by Italy in the 1950s as a token of gratitude, the "Arts of War" and "Arts of Peace" sculptures had aged gracefully over seven decades. Now, they shine with a fresh, blinding coat of gold—all completed via a no-bid contract.
While Americans grapple with rising grocery costs, stagnant job numbers, and $4-a-gallon gas—coupled with Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s recurring warnings regarding the stability of Social Security—the White House remains focused on its own aesthetics. According to The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman, who recently discussed the administration on the Ezra Klein podcast, roughly 70 percent of Trump’s attention is dedicated to renovation projects rather than the ongoing, unresolved war.
The Problem with Green Pools and No-Bid Contracts
Not everything in this new Washington glitters. The Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool remains fenced off, its water turning green after a disastrous, no-bid renovation project. The contract went to a firm personally championed by Trump—a company that had no prior federal construction experience. Following the project's failure, the Justice Department initially blamed former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, falsely accusing him of vandalizing the pool liner.
However, court filings this week confirm the truth: the damage was caused by poor contractor work. Despite this, the President has publicly rebuked his own Justice Department and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for admitting the error, insisting the incident was an act of vandalism rather than systemic failure.
A Monument to Himself
Trump’s remodeling streak extends beyond statues and pools. He has faced scrutiny for attempting to affix his name to a dead president’s memorial—only to be forced by a federal judge to remove the letters—and for pushing to raze the East Wing for a new party room. As reported by The New York Times, his efforts to plaster his name on public landmarks are relentless.
Now, planning is underway for a "Triumphal Arch" set to be taller than the Lincoln Memorial. When asked whom the monument would honor, the President’s response was simple: "Me."
It is a stark contrast to the nearby monument of the man who saved the Union. That statue was carved from plain, white stone, requiring no gold leaf to command respect. While the National Mall remains an exclusive space for legends like Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln, President Trump seems determined to write his own history, one spray-painted surface at a time. As the saying goes, one legacy lasts, while the other simply flakes away.
D.J.T. wuz here.
