Trump says he will ensure his construction projects become lasting monuments

President Donald Trump told New York Magazine that the construction projects he has launched in Washington, D.C., are meant to create monuments to his legacy, stating, "Nobody will do it once I’m gone. When I leave here, nobody will." The comments came while the outlet asked about a proposed "triumphal arch" in the capital and other initiatives such as a new White House ballroom. Trump said the public should be grateful for the ballroom and expressed pride in the work despite criticism.

The $400 million ballroom project, which has faced legal challenges, received a Supreme Court decision on Aug. 31 that allowed construction to proceed, with the court ruling 5-4 that a lower court had improperly halted the work. The justices said the administration is likely to succeed in arguing that the National Trust for Historic Preservation cannot demonstrate sufficient direct harm.

Separately, Trump has sought to add his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The center’s board voted to rename the grounds "President Donald J. Trump Plaza," but a federal judge previously ruled that the official name cannot be changed without congressional action, leaving the proposal pending in court.