Revision History

The Trump administration is pursuing a suite of multimillion-dollar alterations to the Lincoln Memorial and its surroundings — including repainting the Reflecting Pool blue, regilding statues in 23.75-karat gold, building a 250-foot arch, and constructing a promenade to the Potomac — funded largely through diverted national park entrance fees. The projects have drawn a federal lawsuit alleging violations of the National Historic Preservation Act and sparked debate over executive authority to alter congressionally designated landmarks, all while national parks face a $23 billion deferred maintenance backlog.