President Donald Trump is renovating the front of the White House, which he describes as being “horrible” and in “deplorable condition.”
Denouncing mounting criticism from Democratic lawmakers over the attention and funds he has given to renovation projects at the White House and the Washington area, Trump has vowed the main entrance “will be a symbol of extraordinary beauty and pride” when it’s finished.
Trump’s comments over the weekend came after construction workers set up tarp by the scaffolding last week at the North Portico columns.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently offered insight into the project, describing the work as progressing quickly.
“President Trump comes out to greet a world leader, he sees door dings in the pillars and says, ‘Look at all this stuff that needs to be repaired,’” Burgum said during a recent episode of The Katie Miller Podcast. “It’s all historic renovation work.”
In addition to the restoration work on the columns, there is also work being done on the North Portico doors.
A White House official told TIME the doors are undergoing security enhancements and upgrades, with the North Portico project expected to be finished around mid-September.
An official from the Secret Service confirmed security upgrades are taking place to the entrance. It’s unclear what those upgrades will entail.
The White House did not respond to queries about the estimated cost of the renovation work being carried out at the North Portico entrance.
The Trump Administration is also considering additional security to the area surrounding the famed D.C. residence.
A proposal released Friday made a pitch for permanently fencing Lafayette Square, the park across from the White House.
Under the proposal, the fences will have entrances that can be open or closed, with the ability to restrict pedestrian access should the Secret Service determine heightened security measures are necessary.
Phased implementation could potentially begin in 2027, but the proposal still requires approval from several federal agencies.
The latest work and plans join a growing list of renovation projects Trump has launched since returning to office as he seeks to refashion both the White House and the nation’s capital.
Trump last week announced plans to build a multimillion-dollar granite helicopter landing pad on the South Lawn to accommodate a new fleet of more powerful presidential helicopters.
The controversial and costly demolition of the White House East Wing to make way for a new ballroom has drawn criticism across party aisles.
House Democrats in May introduced legislation in an attempt to block Trump’s proposed 250-ft triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
Trump’s renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has also been met with a series of setbacks. The pool’s new blue paint appeared to be peeling off shortly after renovations as an algae bloom tainted the water green. The Administration blamed individuals who allegedly vandalized the pool.
The latest repairs will be carried out by the same company that previously received a no-bid contract to renovate the pool.
Trump faced another setback after he added his name to the Kennedy Center in December, only for it to be removed in June after a federal judge ruled that only Congress could change the name of the building.
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