Key facts
- The Justice Department spent $892,192.07 on an "RFK Beautification Project" that included banners of President Donald Trump.
- An additional $54,768 was added to the project cost through a supplemental agreement.
- The banners featured Trump's visage and the slogan "Make America Safe Again."
- Democrats have criticized the banners, citing concerns about political messaging and the independence of the Justice Department.
- The decorations have attracted scrutiny from Congress.
The Justice Department spent nearly $1 million on renovations to its Washington headquarters, including controversial banners featuring President Donald Trump's image and the slogan "Make America Safe Again." The project, initiated in January, aimed to clean the building's exterior, upgrade lighting, and install "Celebratory Banners."
The total cost for the "RFK Beautification Project" was $892,192.07, with an additional $54,768 added through a supplemental agreement. The specific costs for creating and hanging the large banners were redacted in the released documents.
These decorations, which place Trump's visage prominently on the building, have drawn significant criticism from Democrats. California Governor Gavin Newsom described the display as "beyond parody" and questioned the proliferation of "dictatorship-style monuments." Senator Andy Kim and Representative Jimmy Gomez raised concerns about the banner blurring the lines between political messaging and the independence of federal law enforcement, with Gomez stating the Department of Justice "is supposed to work for and represent you, not him."
Former federal prosecutor Laura Coates noted that she does not recall seeing portraits of former Presidents George Bush or Barack Obama outside the building, suggesting the current display makes it "Trump's DOJ" and crumbles the "firewall of independence between the White House and main justice." Former FBI Director James Comey also reacted, calling the banner "sickening."
The banners, some ostensibly hung to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday, align with Trump's history of self-promotion and placing his name on landmarks. This practice has attracted congressional scrutiny, with lawmakers questioning the appropriateness and potential politicization of federal agencies.