Trump administration spends $5 million to coat horse statues around Lincoln Memorial in gold leaf

The Trump administration is spending $5 million to paint four bronze horse statues around the Lincoln Memorial in a layer of gold leaf. 

In mid-April, the National Park Service awarded a $5 million contract to a Maryland gilding studio to repair the 80,000-pound statues and coat them in a layer of 23.75-karat gold leaf, NOTUS reported. 

The work is to be completed in time for America's 250th anniversary on July 4. The contract was awarded without a full competition. 

The layer of gold is the same kind used to refinish the exterior of the Wyoming state capital dome seven years ago. The project is among a slew of beautification projects in the U.S. capital. The Interior Department is spending at least $95 million on projects initiated between December 2025 and April 2026.