Sept. 4, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
In a candid interview, President Donald Trump admitted that the various construction projects he has undertaken in Washington, DC, are an effort to build monuments to himself, saying, “Nobody will do it once I’m gone.”
Trump’s comments to New York Magazine came as the outlet asked the president about monuments such as the “triumphal arch” in the nation’s capital.
“Nobody will do it once I’m gone. When I leave here, nobody will,” Trump said.
The “triumphal arch” is only one of many projects Trump has begun construction of in Washington, DC, with the deeply controversial White House ballroom being another of the president’s marquee construction projects.
Despite the controversy, Trump said “the people should be thankful” for the ballroom.
“A lot of people said, ‘Don’t do this interview.’ But I’m proud of the work I’m doing,” Trump added.
Trump constructing his legacy
Construction of Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom, which has faced a slew of legal challenges since its start, got a major boost Aug. 31 as the Supreme Court cleared the way to continue construction.
Acting on an emergency appeal from Trump’s administration, the court ruled 5-4 that a federal judge wrongly paused the project until a legal fight could be resolved.
In an unsigned opinion, a majority of the justices said the administration is likely to win its argument that the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the plaintiff in the pending lawsuit, cannot show sufficient, direct harm.
Trump has also sought to add his name to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Last month, the Kennedy Center’s board again voted to put Trump’s name on the building and rename its grounds the “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.” However, the move remains tied up in court and has not taken effect.
The board’s decision came despite a federal judge previously ruling that the center’s official name cannot be changed without Congress. Government lawyers argue the new signage would recognize Trump’s role in renovating the building rather than formally renaming it.
USA TODAY’s Maureen Groppe and Mike Stunson contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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