The Trump administration’s restorations of fountains, monuments, and parks in D.C. show squalor was a choice, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said during an appearance on Breitbart News Daily.
“Credit goes to President Trump and his leadership,” Burgum said, discussing the improvements President Trump has made to D.C. ahead of the nation’s semiquincentennial. The nation’s capital is one of the “bluest of blue big metros in the country,” he said, noting that registered Republicans for the area clock in around five percent.
“In a city where — across the whole city — all these pocket parks, circle parks, triangle parks, city parks are all run by the National Park Service. So, President Trump just said we don’t have to accept squalor and homelessness. We don’t have to accept rundown graffiti-laden sites, and so under President Trump’s leadership, you know, we’ve removed 152 homeless camps,” he said, adding that the establishment media has ignored the fact that these homeless individuals have been taken care of and provided services as well.
“You can come every day. It’s public space. You just can’t live here, and we’re going to help you find someplace else to live, so that’s, you know, taken care of without controversy, without news, and then getting in and cleaning up some of these places, restoring fountains that haven’t worked for decades,” he said, adding that President Trump said he received more “love letters” about the fountains being restored than anything he’s ever done as president.
“Because residents of D.C., from whatever party, whatever political affiliation, they understand that beauty is a choice. This is a beautiful city with beautiful monuments, and heading into our 250th anniversary, President Trump cares deeply,” Burgum said.
“He understands about pride in our country, and what that means, and we talk about the reflecting pool between Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial. It reflects more than just the images of those two incredible memorials. It’s reflecting on the history of our country. It reflects on us as a country,” he said, explaining that they want people to come to the capital and see the beauty of America — not a dump.
“When we rededicated the Columbus fountain last week in front of Union Square, 16 months ago [it] was a homeless camp with protests,” Burgum said.
The fountain itself was covered in pro-Hamas graffiti, he noted, reminding listeners that those images were not AI.
“The complete 180 degree turnaround is being received by every resident of D.C., and President Trump showing it’s a model for every one of our big blue metros in the country, you know, including LA. It’s just a choice,” the Interior Secretary said. “Just go get it done.”
Burgum also highlighted the restoration of Meridian Hill Park’s cascading fountain as host Mike Slater mentioned the number of residents flocking to it now that it is operational.
“It hadn’t had water for decades,” Burgum said.
Some residents did not even know it was a fountain.
“It was in such disrepair, overgrown again, homeless camps,” he said, adding that he and his wife walked there over the weekend and saw signs of life — residents gathering, eating, and trashcans overflowing now that it is cleaned up. There are now ten times more visitors, he revealed.
“It is a choice. Leadership is a choice. Living in beauty is a choice, as opposed to living in squalor. We don’t have to accept this as Americans of this greatest country in the world, which it is, with all the abundance and all the freedoms we have, so many things for which to be grateful,” Burgum added, reemphasizing that every American in every city deserves to live in a beautiful place that is safe.
Burgum added that this should serve as an example of Trump’s leadership ahead of the upcoming Freedom 250 celebrations.
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