Trump Reportedly Takes Personal Charge of Dulles Airport Renovation Plans
President Donald Trump is said to be personally overseeing efforts to renovate Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., while simultaneously advocating for the transportation hub to be renamed in his honour. According to sources familiar with the plans who spoke to the Washington Post, the president recently convened a meeting at the White House with half a dozen construction and infrastructure firms.
Executive Pitches and Proposals for Airport Overhaul
During the meeting, executives from companies including AECOM—a firm already involved in Trump's White House ballroom project—took turns presenting their ideas for a comprehensive airport overhaul. The proposals outlined ambitious plans to construct new terminals, completely revamp the airport's existing layout, and eliminate the current shuttle system, often referred to as people movers.
Some proposals reportedly attempted to appeal directly to the president's documented preference for naming rights. One company suggested renaming the airport shuttles "Direct Jet Transports," which would use the initials DJT—matching the president's own initials.
Renaming Proposal Part of Broader Political Negotiation
Trump, who has previously worked to rename several Washington facilities after himself—including the Kennedy Center and the Institute of Peace—reportedly proposed renaming Dulles Airport in his honour last month. This proposal emerged during a funding standoff with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York.
The White House allegedly told Schumer that the president would release over $16 billion in frozen funds for the long-planned Gateway Tunnel project, which aims to add a new rail line between New York and New Jersey. This funding would be contingent on Schumer agreeing to rename both New York City's Penn Station and Dulles International Airport after President Trump. Schumer promptly rejected the offer, stating he lacked the authority to rename such transportation hubs.
Dissatisfaction with Existing Renovation Timelines
Approximately 27 million passengers travel through Dulles Airport annually, including 10 million international travellers. Despite this volume, the airport consistently ranks below many major international hubs in passenger satisfaction surveys. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which oversees Dulles, already has a master plan to overhaul the ageing facility and phase out the shuttle system within the next fifteen years.
However, Trump administration officials reportedly believe these existing plans are progressing too slowly. Sources indicate they are exploring alternative methods to implement rapid improvements without waiting for Congress to allocate additional funding.
Administration's Commitment to Airport Transformation
The White House declined to comment specifically on Trump's meetings regarding the airport when contacted by the Washington Post. A spokesperson, Kush Desai, stated that the administration remains focused on enhancing "the international gateway to our nation's capital."
"Dulles should inspire pride and awe in foreign travellers visiting our country and American citizens returning home," Desai said. "The Trump administration is committed to using every tool at our disposal to ensure that Dulles lives up to our nation's majesty as we seek to both Make America and our Airports Great Again."
The Transportation Department added that it is "exploring a host of public-private partnership opportunities to remake Dulles at the speed of Trump."
Broader Pattern of Naming and Construction Projects
Trump's reported involvement in the Dulles renovation and renaming effort aligns with a broader pattern observed since his return to office in 2025. The president has affixed his name to numerous government properties and initiatives, including prominent Washington buildings, a planned class of Navy warships, a visa program for wealthy foreigners, a government-run prescription drug website, and federal savings accounts for children.
Concurrently, the administration has undertaken several ambitious construction projects. These include the controversial demolition of the historic East Wing of the White House, which is being replaced by a 90,000-square-foot ballroom projected to cost approximately $400 million. Builders have been given roughly a year and a half to complete this new event space, with an expected opening by summer 2028.
President Trump has also expressed interest in constructing a 250-foot-tall "Independence Arch" near the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The proposed structure has been informally nicknamed the "Arc de Trump" in a playful reference to France's Arc de Triomphe.
