The Trumpification of Washington DC

Well it's early morning at the White House and we're here for a sneak preview of an event of the like that's never happened here at the White House before. Look there's the West Wing at the Oval Office at the end there and come down here look at this. Check that out. We all know President Trump loves UFC crowds and they love him. There is no question that an event like this has never been held at the White House before. There is the South Portico at the South Lawn of the White House is underneath where we are now. This is where the President's helicopter usually lands and look at it now. The stage is set, the cage is set, the octagon they're calling it, set on the President's birthday for a series of UFC fights. Ultimate Fighting Championship. I think it's going to be the biggest event we've ever had. There's going to be 4,300 people there. It kind of perfectly encapsulates everything about President Trump for those who love and respect him and of course those who don't. They see in all this a reflection of the President, a projection of power, force, dominance but it's also kind of blunt, brutal, primitive, unbecoming of the White House. It is a presidential mansion he's certainly made his mark on. So all of this was paid for by myself. There is the East Wing of course, gone. The ballroom to come in its place. This is one well-knit building. They have a 360-degree vision of Washington D.C. But beyond here, this is a city he's moulding, changing, improving, well that depends. D.C. is looking beautiful. A cleaner city, a safer city, a functioning city, that was his pledge. And there are unquestionable improvements like the fountains. Across the city, they're now working. And you know I think that this here presents a real confliction for critics of the President because while so many people do see him genuinely as a vandal for what he is doing down at the White House, this here represents a massive improvement and it's part of a pattern. It was shut for a while right? It was. I don't remember how many years but a while. Happy it's open? I am yeah, it's lovely. Clearly he gave direction to open it and clean things and make things look nice. And they look nice. I understand there's a bit of a political nature to the fact that it's gotten fixed and it's a little bit unfortunate because I don't support what he's been doing in D.C. If he wants to claim the win, whatever man, sure. Then there is the reflecting pool, drained, repaired, relined, refilled. The water is pouring in as we speak. This is called swimming pool on steroids. Beautiful colour. I picked American flag blue. I couldn't make up my mind. You know it's remarkable how quickly these projects have been completed. They've been fast-tracked by President Trump and he's done that precisely because of the sort of president he is. One that doesn't worry about the rules, about the conventions. He just pushes things through. That's what makes him for so many people so attractive and for so many other people so controversial. We want to know what everyone thinks of the new Trump reflective pool. Fabulous. Who loves Trump more than me? Donald Trump has actually fallen through on what he said he's going to do and he's draining the swamp and this is symbolic to it. Cleaning up the city. Well I think it's beautiful. It's clean and I want to be proud of my country but I don't, I have nothing to say good about him. I'm sorry. You're pumped up. I am. I'm so freaking psyched. Oh and by the way, Trump said the work here would cost around In the end it's cost more than 14 million. Then there is the arch. A triumphal arch he's calling it. 250 foot tall, a neoclassical monument designed to commemorate the United States' 250th anniversary. So let me show you where Trump wants his arch to be. That's the Lincoln Memorial there. The Mall runs all the way down that way towards the Capitol building and if we spin around and have a look here, this is the bridge that runs over to Arlington Cemetery and just the other side of the bridge on the roundabout, that's where he wants his arch. For those campaigning against what's going on in the city, President Trump's changes are deeply destabilizing. I'm a fan of great cities throughout the world and what's been shocking these last months is to see the sort of whiplash inducing proposals that keep coming fast and furious that will have significant impacts. Does it make you angry? Does it make you upset? Try and give me your emotions. I think that it would be very easy to be emotional about what's happening. These are all one-offs and they're all pet projects that are all collectively going to have a forever impact. And so in this, the year of America's 250th birthday, Donald Trump is using the occasion to cement his legacy. Whether his changes to this nation's Capitol are liked or not, they'll be difficult to turn back from.