President Trump said he’s going to obtain $2 billion from Congress to beautify the streets of Washington, a plan that’s been on his mind and has been called for with executive orders.
“I’m giving out a contract very soon…we’re going to be raising about $2 billion from Congress, and Congress is happy to do it,” Mr. Trump told reporters Friday as he stopped in The People’s House museum. “And we’re going to wisely spend the money.”
He said he’s working with Clark Construction, and that the area of roughly a three-mile radius from the White House will be “beautified” within a year’s time.
“We’re going to head out right from the Capitol and the White House, and look at a circle, and go about three miles out,” Trump said of the improvement district. “It’s going to be beautiful.”
The plans come amid Mr. Trump’s announcement 10 days ago to federalize the District’s police force and his calling up of thousands of National Guard troops to patrol the streets of Washington to combat crime. The troops have also dismantled dozens of homeless encampments.
Earlier this year, congressional Republicans approved a spending bill that resulted in a cut of roughly $1 billion for the District in 2025.
On his beautification plan, Mr. Trump pointed to rusting light poles with mismatched lenses in the District.
“The streets are going to be re-topped, not ripped up, and rebuilt — they’re no good after they’re rebuilt unless they start settling,” the president said. “We’re going to take off the asphalt and put beautiful, well done asphalt. If you have a good asphalt worker, it’s the greatest thing you can have. But there aren’t too many of them. But we know, I know, all the good contractors.”
Mr. Trump also has announced the construction of a new ballroom for the White House, and changes to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He said Friday they’re considering “doing something very exciting” with the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
He said the increased presence of law enforcement in the city has brought down the murder rates.
“D.C. was a hellhole, and now it’s safe,” he said. “We are going to make DC totally safe. When people come from Iowa, Indiana — all of the beautiful places — and they come, they’re not going to go home in a body bag.”
He said his friends who live in the city have thanked him, saying they’ve gone out to dinner after not going out for years due to the city’s crime.
“It’s my ambition that when we’re complete, we can take everybody out and get a great capital,” he said.
