Trump said he paid for the White House walkway himself, but budget documents show the project cost taxpayers $689,232

According to The Atlantic, when Donald Trump told a reporter in March that he was personally paying for the new walkway connecting the White House residence to the Oval Office, that was not accurate. Budget documents from the National Park Service show the project, which replaced traditional Tennessee flagstone with Italian-carved African granite, cost taxpayers $689,232.

This upgrade is one piece of a larger $1.3 million effort that also covered masonry repairs and new hardware for nearby doors. The walkway is part of a wider shift of taxpayer money away from national parks across the country and into the Washington area.

Taxpayer spending on projects in the National Capital Region has gone up 92 percent over the past year. This money comes from revolving maintenance accounts and more than $100 million in fees that were originally collected from national parks elsewhere.

Washington projects move ahead while parks elsewhere face funding gaps

While the president focuses on projects like refurbishing fountains, lining the Reflecting Pool, and hosting a $1.6 million Fourth of July fireworks display, other parks are struggling. Internal records show that more than 900 Park Service projects expected to receive funding this year were left without it.

These are not small issues. They include a $1.5 million roof replacement at the Yellowstone Center for Resources to stop water leaks and pests, and a $424,000 guardrail replacement at the Black Canyon in Colorado to fix a serious safety hazard.

Emily Douce, a lobbyist for the National Parks Conservation Association, described the situation by saying, “The president is prioritizing D.C. at the expense of parks throughout the country.” She noted that there is $24 billion in maintenance needs across the system, and that adding these vanity projects only makes the problem worse. 

Budget documents show an $854 million, or 68%, drop in spending on projects outside the Washington area during the first eight and a half months of fiscal year 2026. Staffing is also taking a major hit. Since Trump returned to office in 2025, the Park Service has lost nearly a quarter of its staff through buyouts, retirements, and terminations.

Those who remain are being pulled away from their regular duties. As of this week, about 450 staff members from more than 200 parks have been moved to the Washington region to support events for the nation’s 250th birthday.

While these home parks continue to pay the employees’ daily salaries, other costs like hotels and overtime are being taken from various service accounts. Some of these events have drawn legal challenges, including a lawsuit aimed at stopping a UFC White House event over environmental review concerns.

One anonymous Park Service employee said that some projects have had nearly 70 percent of their approved funds pulled back. This means important repairs to historic structures are being delayed and youth programs are being cut. The Department of the Interior has defended the spending, saying it is working on deferred maintenance projects while also beautifying the district for upcoming celebrations.

The president has also pushed for much larger projects, such as a new ballroom to replace the East Wing. Trump has spoken about the building and ballroom he says he built at the White House. While Trump stated on April 1 that the project is “taxpayer free,” internal documents show that taxpayers will likely need to contribute significantly to the broader effort.

Recent contractor documents reported by The Washington Post suggest the true cost is closer to $600 million, with more than half coming from accounts managed by the Secret Service and the White House Military Office. The president continues to propose billions more for Washington projects, including a memorial arch and a new sculpture garden.