The focus of President Donald Trump is Washington, which is turning into the arena for his ambitions to influence governance: from law enforcement agencies to cultural institutions.
In his first seven months in office, he sought to gain extraordinary control over key cultural institutions: he took the Kennedy Center under his leadership and demanded changes in the Smithsonian museums in line with his political views. He also sharply reduced the size of the federal apparatus, proposed selling government buildings, and launched a major renovation of the White House to make the city appear more monumental and expansive on the world stage.
And in an unprecedented move tied to his own claims to the Washington administration, Trump took control of the city’s police forces and directed a wave of federal law enforcement officers onto the streets.
Such actions reflect a long-standing ambition of the president to leave a mark on the capital and entrench his legacy through grand changes.
Official White House spokesmen and close allies say that the decision to prioritize these steps was driven by a sense of mandate after winning the 2024 election, which they believe gave him influence over a city traditionally perceived as “controlled” by the opposition coalition.
“In this term, he is much more confident than when he first arrived in Washington. He makes decisions confidently and is ready to take risks.”
“After 2021, everyone thought he was dead,” said a Trump-aligned associate, adding that he had won a string of lawsuits and regained his footing. Now he feels liberated.
“After 2021, everyone thought he was dead.”
“Now he is making legislative decisions.”
“Now he is implementing.”
Critics point out that such steps may indicate exploiting crises to expand executive powers in the capital, whereas supporters view it as a necessary move to enhance safety and restore Washington’s prestige ahead of future events.
A Look at Changes in the Capital’s Cultural Landscape
Trump and his supporters seek to rethink the role of cultural institutions, notably the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian museums, considering them too “progressive” and “woke.” They see in these institutions a political tool for shaping the capital’s image and America’s image in the eyes of the world.
During the Kennedy Center Honors announcements in 2025, Trump claimed he felt full control over the selection process and that the decisions “went through him” – among the honorees were pop stars, actors and musicians.
“I’m almost 98% involved. All decisions went through me; they were all my decisions.”
Additionally, the administration is considering using the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding and global sporting and cultural events of 2026–2028 as an opportunity to showcase a new image of Washington. At the same time, pressure from opponents to avoid excessive concentration of power in the hands of a single leader and to maintain transparency in city governance is growing.
Despite the controversy, the focus remains on shaping the capital’s image as a tourist-and-resident-friendly space, where safety and the city’s “good looks” become part of the national image during future events.
Following further steps to strengthen influence and review cultural institutions, Trump and his team continue to work on legislative initiatives that could expand federal management of the city of DC, but this would require support from the Senate and allies in Congress.
In sum, the era that Trump started in Washington shows a new approach to the city as an arena of political maneuvering, where issues of a private-club politics become factors in the nation’s strategy and the country’s cultural realignment.