{
  "id": 18362766,
  "title": "Trump May Come to Regret His Rush Job on the Arch and Ballroom",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/trump-may-come-to-regret-his-rush-job-on-the-arch-and-ballroom",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-05T19:37:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Atlantic",
    "slug": "the-atlantic",
    "url": "https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/11/trump-monument-fight/689309/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Wednesday, Donald Trump invited reporters and officials to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, where he aimed to deliver a final appeal before the election. However, his speech included an extended discussion about the pool's plumbing system, which is indicative of his ongoing focus on real estate rather than national issues like the Iran war or rising grocery costs. After the Republican party's significant losses in the midterms, Trump continued his tour of the White House ballroom site, emphasizing the uniqueness of the marble and evading questions regarding the election. His ambition to transform the nation's capital has been unpopular among the electorate. He bypassed legislative approval, manipulated federal funds, and put Justice Department lawyers to the test to advance his architectural plans. Despite experiencing a mid-term election setback, Trump appears more intent on accelerating his construction projects, having completed half of the ballroom, intending to start construction on the United States Triumphal Arch soon, and planning to break ground on a championship golf course on public land this month. Furthermore, Trump continues to block the Kennedy Center, effectively holding it captive. Democrats have expressed their disapproval of these projects, but they have lacked the power to stop them until now. With the upcoming Congress, Democrats are likely to utilize spending bills, oversight hearings, and appropriations to curb Trump's Washington, D.C., expansion. They will likely focus on spending, as this approach could lead to a confrontation that might culminate with a government shutdown. Trump seems to believe that his projects will define and outlast his presidency, and he may be willing to risk it. Georgetown University law professor, David Super, believes that Trump's projects are how he wants to be remembered. However, defending these projects may be costly, as Trump has previously threatened to become \"Mr. Veto\" in January, and could block any legislation intended to limit or end his projects. On the other hand, Paul Schiff Berman from George Washington University suggests that the Kennedy Center, which receives bipartisan support, might be the only case where lawmakers could support amendments to strengthen protections for the institution. Democrats, when in control of congressional committees, have the power to hold oversight hearings probing the funding, construction, and approval of these projects. However, Trump could obstruct administration officials from testifying, forcing the issue to court. The real opportunity for Democrats lies in the appropriations process. They could insert language into spending bills to restrict federal funding for these projects. Although Trump has previously claimed that his planned triumphal arch is fully funded, the project is estimated to cost $100 million, and the ballroom has required hundreds of millions in federal dollars. Even if private donors are covering the costs of every stone in the triumphal arch, the government is still required to review plans, supervise construction, and operate the site. If Trump ignores a congressional restriction, it could lead to another legal battle. Democrats are discussing ways to halt or limit Trump's projects, such as Representative Chellie Pingree, the top Democrat on the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, who supports clawing back portions of appropriations not legally committed to contractors. The key to these negotiations will depend on the willingness of Trump and Democratic leadership to compromise.",
  "summary": "Democrats want to cut off funding for the president’s building projects—or tear them down later.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}