General Discussion

demmiblue

(39,986 posts) Thu May 28, 2026, 04:16 PM Thursday

The Trump Administration Is Spending $5 Million to Coat Horse Statues in Gold

The Interior Department quickly gave nearly $100 million in contracts in a rush to beautify D.C.

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.

It awarded the project without a full competition, according to NPS documents reviewed by NOTUS.

https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/national-park-service-dc-beautification-contracts-horse-statues

The Trump administration is spending million to coat horse statues near the Lincoln Memorial in gold.
https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/national-park-service-dc-beautification-contracts-horse-statues
— NOTUS (@notus.com) 2026-05-28T17:59:12.70245182Z

14 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The Trump Administration Is Spending $5 Million to Coat Horse Statues in Gold (Original Post) demmiblue Thursday OP

Wasting taxpayers money............................... Lovie777 Thursday #1

Oh for f**kity f**k's f**king sake. tanyev Thursday #2

I f**king second that. Him and his tacky, tacky gold shit. Marie Marie Thursday #3

All form malaise Thursday #4

More piss colored bs Emile Thursday #5

Why not a cow? fujiyamasan Thursday #6

A thick layer of gold leaf? Did AI write this story? Gold leaf is some one of the thinnest stuff out there. Blues Heron Thursday #7

I note they refer to the statues as originally "gold-toned" -- not meaning real gold was necessarily present at all. eppur_se_muova Thursday #8

MaddowBlog-Team Trump's latest no-bid contract: $5 million to coat horse statues in gold LetMyPeopleVote 4 hrs ago #9

Weathered bronze has a long-term feel to it struggle4progress 4 hrs ago #10

They were gilded before. It's now worn off in patches if you've seen them. Melon 2 hrs ago #12

Ok. But he's shown no talwnt for rehab, whether it's the White House or the Reflecting Pool or whatever struggle4progress 2 hrs ago #14

How efficient mr715 2 hrs ago #11

How long before the $5 Million balloons into $10 Million..... IcyPeas 2 hrs ago #13

Lovie777

(23,907 posts)

1. Wasting taxpayers money...............................

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Thu May 28, 2026, 04:20 PM

Thursday

tanyev

(49,769 posts)

2. Oh for f**kity f**k's f**king sake.

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Thu May 28, 2026, 04:21 PM

Thursday

Did Trump’s gold guy get that contract?

Marie Marie

(11,578 posts)

3. I f**king second that. Him and his tacky, tacky gold shit.

Reply to tanyev (Reply #2)

Thu May 28, 2026, 04:26 PM

Thursday

His style is so awful and embarrassing.

malaise

(298,359 posts)

4. All form

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Thu May 28, 2026, 04:29 PM

Thursday

No content
That is all

Emile

(43,463 posts)

5. More piss colored bs

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Thu May 28, 2026, 05:02 PM

Thursday

The guy has no taste.

fujiyamasan

(2,090 posts)

6. Why not a cow?

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Thu May 28, 2026, 05:04 PM

Thursday

Better yet why not a calf!?

Blues Heron

(9,070 posts)

7. A thick layer of gold leaf? Did AI write this story? Gold leaf is some one of the thinnest stuff out there.

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Thu May 28, 2026, 05:25 PM

Thursday

eppur_se_muova

(42,610 posts)

8. I note they refer to the statues as originally "gold-toned" -- not meaning real gold was necessarily present at all.

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Thu May 28, 2026, 05:59 PM

Thursday

Lacquered brass or bronze would like just fine. Don't waste huge $$$ on gold where it's not justified (is it ever?).

LetMyPeopleVote

(182,677 posts)

9. MaddowBlog-Team Trump's latest no-bid contract: $5 million to coat horse statues in gold

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Sat May 30, 2026, 07:30 PM

4 hrs ago

The Republican’s administration’s aggressive renovation agenda for the nation’s capital now includes yet another controversial addition.

Team Trumpâ€™s latest no-bid contract: million to coat horse statues in gold.

The Republicanâ€™s administrationâ€™s aggressive renovation agenda for the nationâ€™s capital now includes yet another controversial addition.

www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
— TheBlackPage (Woke, DEI forever against fascism) (@theblackpage.bsky.social) 2026-05-30T15:24:25.981Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/team-trumps-latest-no-bid-contract-5-million-to-coat-horse-statues-in-gold

Donald Trump and his team haven’t exactly been subtle about their gold fixation. Since the president returned to power, Americans have seen an emphasis on everything from “Gold Cards” to a “Golden Dome” to a “Golden Fleet” of U.S. battleships. (And don’t get me started on the many gold trinkets Trump plastered on the walls of the Oval Office.)

So perhaps it’s not too surprising that the Republican’s administration is also adding gold coats to the White House’s aggressive renovation agenda for the nation’s capital. NOTUS reported:

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.

.....It comes against a backdrop of a president focused on his ballroom vanity project, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the installation of a White House helipad, the construction of a massive “triumphal arch” near Arlington National Cemetery, renovating the White House Treaty Room and the Kennedy Center, his plans for a “statue garden,” his sudden interest in fountains around the nation’s capital and a dozen or so additional renovation projects he’s prioritized in and around the White House complex.

A recent Fox News poll asked respondents, “Do you think Donald Trump cares about people like you, or not?” Only 37% of Americans said they believe the president does in fact care about people like them.

There’s no reason to assume that number can’t sink lower.

struggle4progress

(126,776 posts)

10. Weathered bronze has a long-term feel to it

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Sat May 30, 2026, 07:34 PM

4 hrs ago

Gilded statues look tacky

Melon

(1,774 posts)

12. They were gilded before. It's now worn off in patches if you've seen them.

Reply to struggle4progress (Reply #10)

Sat May 30, 2026, 09:50 PM

2 hrs ago

If it’s restoration I’m more indifferent for the celebration. It’s wrestling on the white house lawn that I don’t like.

Things like this should be budgeted and restored on a timeline.