President Donald Trump pushed back at a reporter, calling her question “stupid” after she asked why he was focused on Washington, D.C. renovation projects while the country deals with rising gas prices and an ongoing conflict in Iran. The exchange took place near the Lincoln Memorial, where Trump has been spending time promoting his various construction projects across the capital.
Rachel Scott, a senior political correspondent for ABC News, confronted Trump about his priorities during a turbulent time. She pointed out that the conflict in Iran, currently under a shaky ceasefire, remains a major public concern. She asked why the president is focusing on construction projects while gas prices have been climbing steadily since the conflict began on February 28.
According to Mediaite, Trump did not hold back. He argued that the capital was previously in a state of disrepair and that fixing it is a matter of national pride. He said the area around the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument “was once a disgusting place filled with filth,” and claimed workers removed 11 or 12 truckloads of garbage from the water in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Trump’s DC renovation push is the most sweeping redesign of the capital since the early 1900s
Trump then turned on the reporter directly, calling her “a horror show” and part of “ABC fake news.” He said asking why he would bother fixing these landmarks “is a disgrace to the country.” This is not the first time Trump has targeted Scott at a press event. Back in January, he told her that “she hasn’t asked a good question in years,” adding that he “doesn’t really like her too much.”
The renovation projects are extensive and expensive. The most controversial is a new 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, estimated to cost $400 million. It is being built on the site where the White House East Wing stood until Trump had it demolished last year, despite earlier assurances that it would remain standing.
Reports show that the ballroom’s total government spending has ballooned far beyond initial estimates. These projects are considered the most dramatic redesign of Washington since Theodore Roosevelt oversaw an overhaul of the National Mall in the early 1900s.
Public opinion has been divided. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 56% of Americans opposed the ballroom project, with only 28% in support. Preservationists have mourned the loss of the East Wing, which previously housed the first lady’s offices and the White House movie theater. While an appeals court allowed construction to continue on April 17, a June hearing is scheduled to review a judge’s earlier order to halt the work.
Beyond the White House, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is set to close for two years starting July 4 for a $200 million overhaul, reports Reuters. This follows its controversial renaming to the Trump-Kennedy Center by a Trump-appointed board. There is also a proposed Independence Arch, a 250-foot-tall structure planned across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial.
Even smaller details of the White House have changed. The Oval Office now features gold accents, new statuettes, and various portraits. Outside, the Rose Garden’s grass has been replaced with a white stone patio with umbrella-covered tables, a change Trump said was necessary to prevent women in high heels from sinking into the soil.
Meanwhile, Trump has also drawn scrutiny for his statements on the Iran situation, with critics questioning his claims about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and how he has framed the ongoing ceasefire.
Published: May 8, 2026 01:48 pm