President Trump announced Wednesday that Washington Dulles International Airport will undergo a monster renovation. Dulles is one of two major airports serving the nation’s capital, the other being Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
But it’s not just a little paintwork that’s going to happen — it’s a massive $22 billion upgrade:
🚨 WOW! President Trump has just announced a $22 BILLION renovation plan for the DC area's Dulles International Airport
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 29, 2026
"A major and LONG OVERDUE renovation and reconstruction of Washington's horribly thought of Dulles International Airport."
Time to make it BEAUTIFUL 🇺🇸
This… pic.twitter.com/ENxSMtKwFr
🚨 WOW! President Trump has just announced a $22 BILLION renovation plan for the DC area's Dulles International Airport
"A major and LONG OVERDUE renovation and reconstruction of Washington's horribly thought of Dulles International Airport."
Time to make it BEAUTIFUL 🇺🇸
This comes as Sec. Sean Duffy is MODERNIZING practically everything about air traffic control.
Trump told the assembled in the Oval Office that it’s long overdue and that the airport has majorly declined since its 1962 opening:
Last year's J.D. Power ranked Dulles 23 out of 27. That's a very bad ranking....
[It comes] after an extensive review of more than 30 proposals, with the top architects anywhere in the world. And I was involved, with [Transportation Secretary] Sean [Duffy], and with a lot of other people actually, but [United Airlines CEO] Scott [Kirby] was very much involved, I can tell you.
They’re going to replace two concourses and add millions of square feet of space.
But we are announcing plans to add more than 5 million square feet of new or renovated space. We'll replace the current C and D concourses, which are basic disasters, all the while preserving the iconic original terminal. That is, one of the great architects of the world did the original terminal, and it was very, very important that it be left.
Some of my colleagues are excited by the fact they’re also getting rid of the dreaded “people movers,” the bus-like vehicles that shuttle passengers from the main terminal to the midfield concourses. “The Empire needs their machines back,” one quipped.
They’ll be replaced by a new underground U-shaped aerotrain.
I hate the horrible "people-movers" at Dulles.
— Ken Moriyasu (@kenmoriyasu) July 29, 2026
Trump set to unveil Dulles makeover after months of personal edits https://t.co/JXpwRgjYRw
The president was pretty pumped up about the planned massive garage:
32,000 [spaces]. It'll be actually the largest garage in the world. 32,000 is big.…
This transformation is another step in our ongoing effort to make Washington D.C. safe and beautiful again.
The plans look impressive:
America should have the best airports and infrastructure in the world. President Trump is making that happen. https://t.co/GVIGl9qfj6
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) July 29, 2026
MORE: All It Takes Is a New President: Take a Look at DC's Columbus Circle Then and Now
Sec Duffy Does Some Heavy Lifting (Literally) to Make Air Travel Better
As you might guess, Trump was heavily involved in the design and asked for 3D models to be constructed so he could really get a feel for how they'd look.
The hefty tabletop models were taken back and forth to the White House multiple times for the president's perusal and his edits to plans for the terminal transport buses, parking lot location, baggage handling system, underground trains and general airport aesthetic, sources told CBS News…
He preferred the new Dulles design preserve the iconic sloped-roof main terminal, designed by Eero Saarinen, but would refurbish the interior with an open foyer and new ticket kiosks for the airlines, one of the sources said.
Sean Duffy said it’s going to be the best in the country:
"This is bipartisan... A lot of people, whether you're Republican or Democrat, you hate the way Dulles operates, so everyone's come together, and we're building for America, and building for the future... it's going to be the premier airport in our country."
A bold new vision for Dulles International is taking flight. ✈️ A historic partnership and $20 billion investment will transform the airport into a world-class international gateway, expanding air service and driving billions in economic growth. Learn more https://t.co/GxakWCn71n pic.twitter.com/tpqTafv8cj
— Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (@MWAAHQ) July 29, 2026
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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