Trump Pushes 250-Foot Arch and Ballroom as 78% Say He Ignores Prices
Updated
Updated · CNN · Sep 4
Trump Pushes 250-Foot Arch and Ballroom as 78% Say He Ignores Prices
2 articles · Updated · CNN · Sep 4
Summary
Two months before Election Day, Trump spent the past day advancing legacy projects — hiring a contractor for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, starting his 250-foot arch and promoting new games and a reality-style show.
New Yorker and New York Magazine reports depict a presidency consumed by construction, with Trump telling New York Magazine he must build monuments to himself now because “nobody will” once he leaves office.
Polls show the focus is politically toxic: 78% say Trump is not focused enough on lowering prices, 73% say he has not paid enough attention to the country’s biggest problems, and 66% say he puts personal gain over the country.
The projects themselves are broadly unpopular — the ballroom is 2-to-1 underwater, the arch drew 52%-21% opposition in April, and 65% said in July they were upset or dissatisfied with the ballroom, arch and Reflecting Pool plans.
That disconnect deepens Republican midterm risk as North Carolina begins mailing ballots Friday and Trump still leans on side fights such as Canada tariffs and “Lake America,” both opposed by clear majorities.
Will a controversial 250-foot triumphal arch permanently alter Washington's historic skyline despite unresolved traffic and federal height limit concerns?
What happens when an executive order renames a major international lake, sparking mapping confusion and pushback from neighboring countries?