By: Abby Coven

News Editor

The Trump Administration has been busy on several fronts around Washington, D.C. Recent actions include deploying the National Guard, paving over the iconic Rose Garden, renaming the Department of Defense, and attempting to censor the Smithsonian museums.

President Donald Trump ordered National Guard troops into Washington, D.C., to “take our Capitol back” from those allegedly committing violent crimes. The order placed the D.C. police force under federal control, even though crime in the nation’s capital has decreased in recent years. A Washington Post poll found that eight in ten D.C. residents are opposed to the federal takeover of the city. Many believe the president’s crime crackdown is more for show, arguing that the D.C. police department can manage local crime-fighting efforts without federal intervention. That said, some residents in Congress Heights, a traditionally high-crime area, have reported seeing quieter streets and less crime. 

At the White House, the Rose Garden has long been the site of historic events, including speeches, honors, signing ceremonies, meetings with diplomats, and even weddings. First Lady Jackie Kennedy redesigned the previously neglected lawn into an elegant space. Through the years, the Rose Garden has had many different looks, with each president modifying it in their own way, much like remodeled rooms in the White House. President Trump paved over the grass to make it look more like the patio at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The alterations include striped yellow umbrellas, though the President did insist, “The roses stay.” 

In another development, President Trump announced that he changed the Department of Defense to the Department of War. With Senate approval, the move would restore the agency’s name to what it was before Congress changed it in the wake of World War II. This name change seems to counter the president’s longtime position that the U.S. should stay out of foreign conflicts. However, the change is in line with the president’s propensity to project strength and power, specifically, “going on the offense” on immigrants and drug cartels. He has routinely categorized drug smugglers as terrorists to justify US military intervention. Recently, the Trump Administration launched an airstrike on a Venezuelan boat filled with alleged “narco terrorists,” declining to engage in the typical approach of intercepting the boats. After the attack, no drugs were found on the boat. These actions appear to serve as a warning to others of future military strikes.

Finally, in one of his most recent actions, President Trump focused on the Smithsonian museums by ordering the removal of what he calls “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” in an effort to highlight American exceptionalism for the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary. Head of Smithsonian Museums Lonnie G. Bunch reaffirmed the Smithsonian’s mission and its commitment to “multi-faceted stories” in an attempt to project independence. The “comprehensive review” of the first eight museums is to be completed within specific timeframes over the next few months.

(Sources: CNN, NPR, NYT)