President Donald Trump. is taking his Washington makeover up another notch with upgrades.
Trump, 80, has his sights set on another massive makeover.
This time, the project carries a $22.5 billion price tag and could change how millions of Americans experience one of the country’s busiest gateways.
Trump unveiled the proposal to overhaul of Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia during an Oval Office event on July 29.
He was joined at the meeting by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority President Jack Potter, and others.
Renderings of the proposed Dulles renovations surrounded Trump administration officials and business executives during the announcement. The plan calls for four new concourses and additional parking closer to the main terminal.
Trump and the transportation secretary also proposed expanding the AeroTrain and replacing the mobile lounges, which they compared to vehicles from “Star Wars”.
“We are going to get rid of the people movers, Mr. President. So, if you don’t know what these are, these are like elevated buses,” Duffy, 54, said. “It’s kind of like it looks like it’s from ‘Star Wars,’ if you will, and they’re slow and people are angry about them. We are going to get rid of those.”
He went onto praise Trump’s design for the airport including the horsehoe train system. “This is bipartisan Mr. President,” Duffy added.
The POTUS later doubled down on references to the long-running sci-fi franchise, but not before he called Duffy the wrong name.
“Well, thus far, what John said about bipartisan really is bipartisan. And I don’t know if that’s because it’s the right thing to do,” Trump began.
He continued on as he trashed the currrent layout of the airport.
“Whether you’re a democrat or a republican, you don’t want to go an be sujected to this airport. This airport is a it’s a terrible place to be,” Trump said.
“And it’s going to be, I believe it’s going to be rated, within a few years, it’ll be rated the best airport in the country. “It’s going to be so efficient. Right now it’s totally inefficient.”
“Between the trams and the ‘Star War’ thing – that they call it the ‘Star Wars ’- and elevated buses, and nobody knows what’s going on,” he stated. “It’s a real mess.”
Trump’s “Star Wars” mention during the White House photo-op for the Dulles Airport makeover sparked online ridicule.
A confused X user wondered, “Star Wars thing? What the f–k is he on about?” Similarly, someone asked, “Wtf does he mean by Star Wars?”
“Sounds like the only thing missing is a lightsaber to clear the traffic jam,” an X user joked.
The red or blue energy swords made famous by the George Lucas-created film anthology.
Another stated about Dulles, “It’s a mess, but Trump will slap some gold paint on it and make it worse.”
Trump’s muttering remarks led to a tweet that read, “It’s mind-boggling that there are people who can’t see how stupid and incompetent he is.”
Duffy also got dragged for coming across as a Trump brownnoser when one critic posted, “Stupid Sean nodding like a dog in the back of a car.”
This was not the first time that Trump adopted a “Star Wars” theme.
For the past two years, the White House account on X celebrated Star Wars Day (May 4) by depicting Trump as a character from the franchise.
In 2025, an AI-generated image of Trump dressed as a Sith Lord, a villain who has mastered the dark side of the Force. The red lightsaber in his hand signified the Sith affiliation.
This year, Trump’s team joined the social media AI game. He was portrayed as Din Djarin, better known as Mando, from “The Mandalorian,” in a viral image.
The depiction of Trump carrying an American flag in a snowstorm with Baby Yoda, in a side pouch.
Beyond the multi-billion-dollar sci-fi franchise, Trump continues spending taxpayer dollars on high-profile projects around Washington.
His Washington beautification initiative includes plans for a White House ballroom, and a Triumphal Arch. He has already begun upgrades to the renamed Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Public outcry, federal lawsuits, and contractor mistakes have slowed several of Trump’s restoration projects. But he continues pushing to remake Washington in his vision.
