Trump treating DC like 'personal property' to abuse when he gets bored: analysis

President Donald Trump's tireless campaign to stamp his name on buildings and mount disruptive construction projects stems from his view that the nation's capital is his "personal property," according to a new analysis from The Hill, which he opts to abuse whenever he gets bored with the rest of his agenda.

Bill Press is a veteran Democratic pundit and author who previously served as the chair of the California Democratic Party in the 1990s. On Tuesday, he published a new piece for The Hill, breaking down Trump's fixation on remaking Washington, D.C., in his own image, surmising that the city has become his personal "sandbox" and a way to revert to his days as a real estate developer.

"Starting on Day One of his second term, Trump has treated Washington as his personal property, where he has the power to change or destroy anything he doesn’t like," Press wrote. "For him, Washington is nothing but a sandbox which he can retreat to whenever he’s bored with deporting immigrants or waging war, and play 'Donnie the Developer.'"

Nearly a year and a half into Trump's second term, Press argued that D.C. is no longer the same city it was before he returned. He has infamously mandated that his name be added to buildings like the Kennedy Center and the Institute for Peace. He has also been pushing for his name to be added to Dulles Airport and the under-construction football arena for the Washington Commanders.

He has also adorned various buildings, like the departments of Agriculture and Labor, with massive banners featuring his face, which some critics have likened to the tendencies of authoritarian leaders. His face will soon be featured on coins and passports as well.

In other areas, Press argued that Trump has fallen back on his past country club habits to renovate the city.

"Meanwhile, he’s plowed across Washington like it’s just another of his country clubs. He tore up the Rose Garden and replaced it with a Mar-a-Lago patio," he detailed. "He planted two giant flag poles and a statue of Christopher Columbus on White House grounds. He turned the Oval Office into a gilded, bordello-like cocktail lounge. He tore down the entire East Wing of the White House to fulfill his dream of building a massive, 90,000 sq. ft. ballroom — for which clueless Republican senators are now asking taxpayers to cough up $1 billion."

He continued: "And he’s just getting started. Trump has also announced plans to paint the historic Old Executive Building white; replace columns on the North face of the White House; destroy the popular, affordable Hains Point golf course and replace it with a high-price championship course; build a giant Sculpture Garden in West Potomac Park; and — in a move that would make Napoleon Bonaparte blush — erect a giant, 19-stories–high arch to himself at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery."

All of these changes combined, Press concluded, have created one of the best possible arguments for granting Washington, D.C., statehood, as has been debated for decades.

"For years, a compelling case has been made to grant the District of Columbia statehood," he wrote. "Now, proponents of statehood have the strongest argument possible: to prevent any temporary occupant of the White House from rebranding the nation’s capital in his honor. Hands off, Trump — we liked Washington just the way it was."

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