President Donald Trump said Thursday that a new public walkway, which he referred to as a “promenade,” will be built connecting the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, to the Potomac River as part of his broader effort to redesign parts of the nation’s capital.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the project would restore what he described as the Lincoln Memorial’s original design intent, arguing that access to the river was meant to be a central feature of the site.
He did not provide detailed design plans or timelines, and the White House referred questions about specifics back to his public remarks.
Proposal
Trump said the walkway would extend from the front of the Lincoln Memorial toward the Potomac River, addressing what he described as a historical design disruption caused by later infrastructure.
According to his remarks, roadways built behind the memorial altered the original layout and blocked what he characterized as intended access to the water. He said the proposed structure would create a “beautiful” connection over existing roadways.
He also referred to the project as “the promenade,” noting that some have suggested calling it the “Trump Promenade,” a label he said he was not committed to adopting.
Context
The Lincoln Memorial, completed in 1922, was designed as a ceremonial monument along the National Mall, with its orientation and surrounding landscape shaped by later urban development in Washington, DC.
Trump’s comments framed the new proposal as a restoration of historical design intent, though no architectural plans or federal approvals were cited during the announcement.
The White House has not released additional technical details about engineering, funding, or permitting.
Broader Agenda
The announcement comes amid a series of proposed or ongoing changes Trump has promoted for Washington, DC landmarks and public spaces.
He also referenced work on the Reflecting Pool, saying water was being actively restored and highlighting visual comparisons between the pool and nearby structures. The administration has not published independent engineering updates alongside those remarks.
Trump has previously emphasized large-scale visual and architectural changes to federal spaces in Washington as part of a broader effort to reshape public areas in the capital.
Other Developments
The announcement came on the same day as a separate legal development involving the Kennedy Center, where staff were instructed to remove Trump’s name from parts of the facility following a court order.
The White House did not provide further comment linking the two developments.
The proposed “promenade” linking the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River remains at an early announcement stage, with no formal design documents or construction timeline released. The idea is part of a broader set of proposed changes to public landmarks in Washington, DC, that the administration has highlighted in recent days.
FAQs
What is the promenade project?
A proposed walkway linking the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.
Has construction started?
No construction timeline or design details have been released.
What did Trump say about the design?
He said it would restore the memorial’s original intended layout.
Will it be named after Trump?
He said he is not committed to calling it the Trump Promenade.
What other projects did he mention?
He also referenced updates to the Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC.
