President Donald Trump has declared his administration will undertake a significant reconstruction of Dulles International Airport, labelling the key Washington-area transport hub a "terrible airport" in need of a dramatic overhaul.
Trump's Scathing Critique and Ambitious Vision
During a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday 2 December 2025, the President launched a pointed critique of the airport's design and utility. "We're also going to rebuild Dulles airport because it's not a good airport," Trump stated. "It should be a great airport, and it's not a good airport at all. It's a terrible airport."
Despite his harsh assessment, the former property developer offered qualified praise for the original architect, Eero Saarinen, the Finnish-American who designed the main terminal. Trump conceded the Dulles building itself was good but argued it was "incorrectly designed."
He outlined an ambitious goal for the project: "We're going to turn that around and we're going to make Dulles airport -- serving Washington and Virginia, Maryland, etc. -- we're gonna make that into something really spectacular. We have an amazing plan for it."
On-the-Ground Assessment and Immediate Repairs
The announcement follows an unannounced inspection by the President in early November. Trump's motorcade detoured through the Dulles terminal, a move the White House said was to assess potential future projects firsthand.
Alongside the long-term rebuild, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed ongoing efforts to address immediate safety concerns. The administration is focusing on repairing the airport's "people movers" or "mobile lounges," which ferry passengers between concourses. This initiative gained urgency after one of the vehicles crashed in November.
Duffy revealed that his agency would request bids for the repair work later on Tuesday, signalling a swift move to rectify the problematic transport system.
Context and Community Debate
Dulles International Airport is one of three major airports serving the US capital region. Its design, functionality, and passenger experience are perennially debated topics among Washingtonians and frequent travellers. The proposed reconstruction plan, coupled with the urgent repairs to the people movers, represents a significant potential shift in the region's transportation infrastructure.
While the "amazing plan" referenced by Trump remains to be fully detailed, the administration's dual focus suggests a comprehensive approach: tackling urgent operational failures while planning a large-scale redevelopment to transform the airport's fundamental design and capacity.
