Amid war, inflation and sinking approval ratings, Trump takes comfort in giving D.C. a face-lift

Donald TrumpAmid war, inflation and sinking approval ratings, Trump takes comfort in giving Washington a face-liftFacing one of the roughest patches of his second term, Trump is devoting outsize energy to construction projects around Washington, D.C. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleFirst images of UFC fight night venue at White House01:55Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 14, 2026, 9:05 AM EDTBy Peter Nicholas, Matt Dixon and Katherine DoyleWASHINGTON — As they walked through the bowels of the Kennedy Center, President Donald Trump asked Sen. Lindsey Graham his opinion on something that might mean a lot one day to an audience sitting through three hours of “Les Mis.”Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Try out some of the new seats being considered for the building’s renovation, Trump told the South Carolina Republican. Graham obliged, plunking himself down in different chairs and telling Trump which one he liked best.“He couldn’t make up his mind,” Graham said of the president, recounting a trip to the performing arts center earlier this year.“I don’t know which one he [ultimately] picked, but only in America would I be picking the seats for the Kennedy Center,” laughed Graham, a Trump ally.Facing one of the roughest patches of his second term, Trump is devoting outsize energy to giving Washington its biggest face-lift in living memory. He is punctuating his public appearances with long digressions about the ballroom he’s building at the White House, the resurfacing of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, a 250-foot arch he hopes to build near the Lincoln Memorial and fountains that his administration is repairing across the city.Today he celebrates a birthday and thus joins an 80-or-above age group in which only 6% are employed, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. With no more races to run and the clock tickin...