The Trump administration spent more than $527,000 to install a statue of Caesar Rodney, a slave-owning Founding Father, in Washington DC, according to a report by Mother Jones. The statue was placed in Freedom Plaza near the White House as part of preparations for the American 250th anniversary celebrations.
The National Park Service awarded an expedited no-bid contract for the installation, which nearly doubled original cost estimates. Scott Amey of the Project on Government Oversight called the use of taxpayer funds unethical and unusual, questioning the urgency of installing a statue for a holiday celebration.
The statue was originally erected in Wilmington, Delaware in 1923 but was removed by city officials in 2020 amid the Black Lives Matter movement and calls to remove tributes to slave owners. According to the National Parks Service, Rodney's family plantation was worked by slave labour, though he did take public action to abolish the slave trade within Delaware.
The Trump administration has faced criticism for fast-track contracts and lack of transparency in beautifying Washington. Similar no-bid contracts were used for repairs in Lafayette Park and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the latter featuring excessive profit margins. Additionally, the events company that helped plan the January 6 rally received $13 million in no-bid contracts.
