Card stack
As Congress returns to Democrats, one likely casualty emerges: Trump's District of Columbia projects
Compiled Nov 6
What happened
Democrats will control Congress starting in the new term, gaining 54 Senate seats and 237 House seats versus 44 and 147 for Republicans.
The detail
Trump has been personally involved in multiple DC projects: Kennedy Center renovation, East Potomac golf course changes, a 250-foot arch at Memorial Circle, a White House ballroom, and a National Garden of American Heroes.
The detail
The National Capital Planning Commission approved the arch project on an 8-4 vote after a 9.5-hour hearing with over 120 witnesses.
The detail
Congress appropriated $257 million for the Kennedy Center renovation, and the golf course seawall cost is estimated to exceed $300 million.
How it unfolded
Monday: Trump's last pre-election public message focused on the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. · Tuesday: Elections occurred that gave Democrats control of Congress. · Wednesday: Trump toured the under-construction White House ballroom, discussing architectural details. · Thursday: Rep. Don Beyer opposed the memorial arch at a public hearing; the National Capital Planning Commission approved the arch 8-4 after a 9.5-hour session. · Saturday: District of Columbia and Virginia filed a separate lawsuit, later consolidated with the existing case.
By the numbers
250 feet height of planned arch · 8-4 commission vote · $257 million Kennedy Center funding · $300 million+ golf course seawall cost · 3,100 National Guard troops in DC
Still unresolved
Whether U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan will grant a temporary restraining order to stop arch construction.