Donald Trump has called for a probe into what he terms a ‘construction disaster’ concerning the $335 million refurbishment of the US Air Force Academy’s chapel. The chapel, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been a persistent issue for the Department of Defense since renovations started in 2019. On Thursday, Trump took to Truth Social, stating, “Reports suggest it leaked on the first day, which was the best part. Hundreds of millions have been poured into this project.”

Trump further commented, “The renovation seems to have been ongoing since its inception, now expected to continue until 2028, with an extra $90 million required, pushing the total to $335 million. This fiasco needs investigation. It’s incredibly unfair to the Cadets—a complete architectural disaster!” The chapel has faced numerous challenges over the past six decades due to temporary repairs.

When renovations kicked off in 2019, construction crews encountered more asbestos than initially expected. Originally estimated at $158 million, the budget was increased to $247 million once work commenced. This past summer, the Department of Defense added another $88 million to the project, escalating the total cost to an eye-popping $335 million.

In comparison, the massive undertaking to restore the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris cost $760 million. The cathedral shut down after a fire in 2019 , the same year the chapel closed, and has since been restored. Restorations for the Air Force chapel include replacing the building’s aluminum siding, repairing the steel structure, installing a new water barrier, and removing and cleaning the original 24,000 pieces of stained glass.

‘Every piece of aluminum, replacing the dolls [stained glass pieces], organs, pews – everything is being renovated,’ the chapel’s architect, Duane Boyle, said at the time. ‘While the true extent of the asbestos put a wrinkle in our plan, our intent is the same today when the project began: to completely restore the chapel.’ The chapel is an interfaith religious meeting place. Worship services include Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Buddhist services.

The construction project was initially scheduled to be completed by next year, but has now been extended to 2028. The Daily Mail reached out to the Air Force Academy and the White House for additional comment. The massive spending project is in line with Trump’s executive order from August titled, Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again.

The president has stayed true to his real estate roots and made it a personal crusade to improve federal buildings through massive reconstruction projects. ‘It is time to update the policies guiding Federal architecture to address these problems and ensure that architects designing Federal buildings serve their clients, the American people,’ his executive order read. 

The administration emphasized the importance of maintaining classical architecture, characterized by Greek and Roman design that was expanded on during the Renaissance period.

The order discouraged modern styles of architecture, which can be seen in courthouses in Connecticut, Tennessee, Texas, and Pennsylvania. The federal buildings will have to comply with Trump’s executive order. The Trump administration also announced plans this week to build an arch to honor the country’s 250th anniversary in Washington DC. Senior White House officials told CNN that the president came up with the idea and design for the project.

The proposed arch was pitched near the Arlington Memorial Bridge between the Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. ‘Washington, DC, is the only major Western capital that lacks an arch. It’s a time-honored tradition for celebrating events and people and ideas – and also for acting as gateways to cities,’ a source familiar with the proposal told CNN. The White House has also been subject to a Trump makeover during his first few months of his second term.

Construction began last month on renovations to the White House ballroom , which are set to cost $200 million. ‘I always said I was going to do something about the ballroom, because they should have one,’ the president told reporters. ‘It’ll be a great legacy project, and I think it’ll be special.’

Renderings of the renovated ballroom revealed a massive event space in the East Wing with gold finishes and a checkered marble floor. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters last month that the president and private donors funded the construction. The Rose Garden was paved over with white marble to mirror Trump’s sprawling patio at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

The president also revamped the Oval Office with gold decorations lining the doorways. Two large flagpoles were erected on the White House lawns over the summer. As he watched the poles go up in June, the president told reporters: ‘I love construction.’ ‘I know it better than anybody.’