Trump disputes NYT's Lafayette Park findings, says park is 'magnificent, under budget'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump, on Saturday, April 25, lashed out at The New York Times after the paper published a report on renovation work at Lafayette Square, insisting he personally contributed millions of dollars to restore the park and accusing the outlet of twisting a beautification project into a political controversy.

Trump said the newspaper was once again trying to undermine positive developments tied to his administration.

Trump lashes out at the New York Times

In a lengthy social media statement, Trump said the historic park across from the White House had been allowed to deteriorate over many years.

He claimed the fountains had not worked in decades, trees and grass had died, and pathways and benches had become nearly unusable.

"Once again, The Failing New York Times has attempted to grossly mischaracterize the effort," Trump wrote, saying the project should instead be celebrated as the restoration of “beauty and grandeur” to the nation’s capital.

He said he personally made a “multimillion contribution” to the renovations and encouraged others to contribute as well, while emphasizing he did not personally award the construction contract.

Trump said the National Park Service handled the contract process and selected Clark Construction, which he described as one of Washington’s most respected builders.

According to Trump, the work included replacing fountains, installing irrigation systems, adding new sod and trees, upgrading benches and improving public areas throughout the park.

“It’s turning out magnificent, under budget, and way ahead of schedule,” he said, adding that the goal is to have the project finished by July 4.

Trump also claimed Washington had become “safe and bustling again,” pointing to what he said were historically low crime numbers.

The NYT report that set Trump off

Trump’s remarks came in response to a detailed report by the New York Times published on Saturday examining how the Lafayette Park contract was awarded.

The newspaper said the federal government approved a no-bid contract for Clark Construction to repair two ornamental fountains and later expanded the scope to include landscaping, benches and other upgrades, pushing the project’s total cost far higher than earlier estimates.

The report said previous estimates during the Biden era had placed fountain repairs at roughly $3 million, but the final contract eventually rose above $17 million after additions were made.

It also said officials used an “urgency” exemption to bypass a normal competitive bidding process, arguing the work needed to be completed before America’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026.

The Times further reported that contracting experts questioned whether that urgency standard was appropriate, since such exceptions are more commonly used for emergencies like natural disasters or wartime needs.