Donald Trump unveiled yet another grand construction idea during an Oval Office event, this time describing plans for a new promenade connecting the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.
“We’ll have a little breaking news here because nobody’s heard of it but at the Lincoln Memorial, uh, the front was supposed to the back, the back was supposed to be the front…” Trump said.
He went on to explain his view of the project’s history.
“It never got built because they built two roadways behind it after it was built and it shut off the uh… Gateway to the water,” Trump said. “That was really going to be the main entry… And we’re going to be doing that.”
According to Trump, the project would restore a connection that was originally envisioned when the memorial was designed.
“It’s called the promenade. It’ll be the promenade. They want to call it the Trump Promenade but I don’t know if I want to do that,” he said. “But it’s going to be beautiful. It’s a beautiful project and it’s going to take the Lincoln Memorial right down to the Potomac. Which it was always scheduled to do but when they built the roads that was the end of that…”
The proposal immediately sparked debate about priorities, costs, and whether such a project is necessary at a time when many Americans remain focused on issues such as housing costs, grocery prices, and everyday expenses.
Critics argue that large-scale monument and beautification projects do little to address the economic concerns facing ordinary families, while supporters view them as investments in national landmarks and public spaces.
The remarks also reignited discussion about Trump’s long-standing interest in major construction projects and his desire to leave a lasting physical mark on Washington.
For now, the proposal remains just that — a proposal. But Trump’s comments ensured that a project few had previously discussed is now part of the national political conversation.
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