Trump administration spends $5 million to regild D.C. horse statues

The National Park Service has awarded a $5 million contract to a Maryland gilding studio to clean, repair and apply a thick layer of 23.75‑karat gold leaf to four bronze horse sculptures near the Lincoln Memorial, a move tied to the United States’ 250th‑anniversary celebrations on July 4 2026 [1].

Key takeaways

• The contract covers “full conservation and regilding” of the four equestrian bronze sculptures, including gold‑leaf application [2].
• The project was awarded without a full competitive bidding process, citing an urgent deadline and the studio’s specialized experience [1].
• The $5 million price is higher than typical market rates, and limited market research was conducted before award [1].
• The statues, known as the Arts of War and Arts of Peace, have not been regilded in 50 years and require extensive repairs to address long‑standing corrosion [1].
• The interior‑department‑wide beautification effort in D.C. totals at least $95 million, with other projects also experiencing cost overruns [1].

Contract award and project scope

In mid‑April 2026, the National Park Service (NPS) issued a special notice on SAM.gov and selected The Gilders’ Studio, Inc. of Maryland to perform the work [1]. The agency’s award document described the studio’s “unique combination of specialized experience and capability” as the reason it was the only source able to meet the “immovable deadline” of completing the work before July 4 2026 [1]. The contract includes cleaning, structural repairs, and the application of a “thick layer” of nearly pure gold leaf, a process that is more extensive than the studio’s previous “extra‑thick” gilding of the Wyoming state capital dome [1].

The statues, each pair weighing about 80,000 pounds and standing roughly 19 feet high, have suffered from corrosion and cracked stone bases since their installation in 1951 [1]. Prior restorations in the 1970s did not fully resolve underlying issues, prompting the current comprehensive conservation effort [1]. While the exact share of the $5 million devoted to gold leaf is not detailed in public filings, analysts note that a substantial portion is likely allocated to the gold material and its application [2].

Procurement concerns and broader D.C. beautification spending

The NPS’s limited market research—relying on historical data and a six‑day public notice—has drawn criticism for lacking transparency and competition [1]. Experts cited in the NOTUS report point out that other qualified gilding firms were not contacted, raising questions about the award’s fairness [1]. The interior department’s broader D.C. beautification program, which includes fountain restorations, park renovations, and marble repaving, totals at least $95 million, with several projects exceeding original cost estimates [1].

Snopes evaluated the claim that the Trump administration is spending $5 million on gold‑coating the horses and rated it “mostly true,” noting that while the contract exists, the precise allocation of funds to gold leaf versus other conservation work remains undetermined [2].

Why it matters

The regilding of the Arts of War and Arts of Peace statues highlights the administration’s emphasis on high‑visibility projects ahead of a major national anniversary, while also exposing potential gaps in federal procurement oversight. As the statues are restored for the first time in half a century, the initiative underscores ongoing debates about fiscal priorities, transparency, and the balance between symbolic gestures and practical infrastructure needs in Washington, D.C. Future monitoring of the project’s completion and cost breakdown will inform discussions on how federal agencies allocate taxpayer dollars for cultural heritage projects.