As The Iran war continues, the U.S. supply of critical weapons systems is depleted, the economy spirals downward, and the budget deficit explodes, President Trump is energetically pursuing his campaign to embed his legacy (and image) throughout American society.
- Portrait on Passports. The State Department is preparing to commemorate America's 250th anniversary by releasing a limited-edition U.S. passport that will feature Donald Trump’s portrait on the inside cover. His image will be surrounded by the text of the Declaration of Independence, an American flag, and the president's signature rendered in gold.
- Build Huge Ballroom. A gunman’s attempt to attack a gathering of Trump and his cabinet members attending the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents Association inside the Washington Hilton has given added impetus to Trump’s out-of-the-blue proposal to build a huge ballroom on White House grounds. A federal District Judge last month had ordered the administration to pause work on the ballroom, demanding it receive “express authorization from Congress” before proceeding, as “no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have.”
- Build Triumphal Arch. Trump also wants to build a triumphal arch in Washington. Trump insisted that his arch be taller than the France’s famous Arc de Triomphe, which stands roughly 164 feet tall, and settled eventually on the idea that the arch should rise to 250 feet, to celebrate America’s 250 years. It would be more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial and the tallest triumphal arch in any of the world’s capital cities.
- Link Self to Kennedy Center. Trump has already, of course, taken control of the Kennedy Center, causing a dramatic loss of its prestige in the arts. Some of the first performers to cancel was a touring production of the musical Hamilton and actress and writer Issa Rae, who canceled her sold-out March production. A slew of cancellations by artists and performance companies followed after Trump-appointed members of the Kennedy Center's board voted to add Trump’s name to its title. In February, Trump announced plans to close the Center for two years in July for extensive remodeling.
All the above highlights Trump’s totalitarian impulses, and will cost the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars at a time when Trump and his Republicans have slashed spending on the health and welfare of average citizens, at home and abroad.
And what irresponsible and unaccountable Republicans remain solidly in the Trump camp while he engages in this adolescent sideshow? Let’s begin by naming seven in high places, the Chiefs of Staff to Republican U.S. Representatives from Georgia:
- Philip Singleton, COS to Rep. Mitch McCormick;
- Alex Stone, COS to Rep. Brian Jack;
- Alice Johnson, COS to Rep. Austin Scott:
- Nicholas Brown, COS to Rep. Andrew Clyde
- Brandon Phillips, COS to Rep. Mike Collins
- Lauren Hodge, COS to Rep. Rick Allen
- Rob Adkerson, COS to Rep. Barry Loudermilk
(The Georgia Recorder is published by States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, with reporting from every capital. Here is its wrap-up of the 2026 election.)
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