News/Commentary

Trump 24-karat gold restoration of Lincoln Memorial horse statues all the rage

May 29, 2026 | | Print Article

With the nation set to celebrate it’s 25-th anniversary this year, President Donald Trump has prioritized the “beautification” of Washington, D.C., which goes along with ongoing efforts to make city streets in the nation’s capital safer by addressing crime.

One such project involves restoring the four bronze horse statues that surround the Lincoln Memorial, with NOTUS reporting that the Trump administration is spending $5 million to coat the statues in 23.75-karat gold leaf.

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Four massive bronze horses positioned along the roads surrounding the Lincoln Memorial still shine in the sun from their first restoration in the 1970s. But their gold-toned coating is faded and patchy, and their heavy stone bases are cracked and dirty.

The Trump administration wants them glittering with a fresh coat of gold in time for America’s 250th anniversary on July 4. So in mid-April, the National Park Service handed a $5 million contract to a gilding studio in Maryland to repair the statues and cover them with a thick layer of 23.75-karat gold leaf.

 

The National Park Service rewarded The Guilder’s Studio, Inc, with the restoration contract, with the hope that it will be completed in time for America’s 250th anniversary on July 4 — the official timeline for completion is reportedly Sept. 30, 2026.

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“The purpose of this acquisition is to procure the services necessary to complete the work required, including the full conservation and regilding of four (4) monumental equestrian bronze sculptures,” the contract states. “Work includes comprehensive bronze conservation.”

Interestingly, the Daily Beast characterized the $5 million price tag to gild the statues as a “bonkers amount.”

Trump has taken a lot of heat for the restoration of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which was little more than a filthy cesspool. The president rejected initial bids of $300 million to renovate the pool, which would have taken several years, giving the job instead to a contractor he knows who was to have the job done in a week. However, he is taking hits in the media for his initial estimate of $1.8 million rising to a reported $13.1 million.

“I originally thought I’d do it for $2 million or $3 million, just do a base,” Trump said last week. “But now we’re fixing up the exterior of it we’re doing. So, we’ll probably be in it for less than $20 million.”

Either way, he is saving taxpayers millions of dollars, not that the media bothers with this minor detail.

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On that note, the Trump administration is looking at a $400 million settlement with TikTok to resolve a lawsuit over alleged child privacy violations, according to ABC News. The payout, if approved by the company’s board, is reportedly to be used help fund Trump’s list of DC “beautification” projects.

Social media users were quick to note that the capital of the greatest nation in the history of mankind should look spectacular, especially as we celebrate 250 years of existence.

Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on X:

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Tom Tillison
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