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As War Grinds On, Trump Relishes Renovation Projects

President Trump is basking in the momentum of the various projects he has spurred around downtown Washington.

© Andrew Leyden for The New York Times

Trucks and cranes worked on a helipad in front of the White House last month.
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As Midterms Approach, Republicans Find There Is No Escape From Trump

The president’s strategy, message and spending have left the G.O.P. in a difficult spot as lawmakers try to outrun his sagging approval ratings.

© Alex Kent/The New York Times

President Donald Trump walks on stage for a rally supporting Darline Graham’s Senate candidacy last month.
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Trump Says He Will Spend Some of His War Chest on Republicans

President Trump said he intends to hold some money back, even as Republican candidates ask for financial support.

© Alex Kent/The New York Times

Senator Darline Graham with supporters in Myrtle Beach, S.C. President Trump has spent campaign money only to help Ms. Graham, a Republican of South Carolina who was appointed to her brother’s seat after his death.
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Trump to Break Ground on Arch Before Getting Approval

Doug Burgum, the interior secretary, announced plans to start work on the site of the 250-foot-tall triumphal arch. Final approval of the project is still pending.

© Kylie Cooper/Reuters

President Trump has said that the 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery must be taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
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As Trump Throws a Midterm Party, Some Vulnerable Republicans Send Regrets

Many members of Congress in the most competitive re-election races are skipping the chance to share a pep rally stage with President Trump.

© Francis Chung/POLITICO, via Associated Press

Representative David Valadao of California said that President Trump had a part to play in the midterm elections, but that navigating around a deeply unpopular president and his policies was a challenge.
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Who Approves Trump’s Washington Makeover Projects?

The Supreme Court gave a green light to the new White House ballroom, but several of the president’s other Washington projects remain stalled.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that President Trump could continue his construction of a huge new ballroom for the White House where the East Wing used to be.
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Trump Mocks Data-Center Opponents as Wanting to Stay ‘Backwards and Poor’

The giant computing sites that power A.I. are increasingly opposed by communities across the country, a signal of voters’ concern about a changing economy.

© Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times

A 1,000-acre data center for Meta under construction in El Paso, Texas, in May. Polling shows most Americans oppose the proliferation of data centers in their communities.
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Teleprompter Operator Who Bet on Trump Speeches Is Ordered to Pay Fine

Gabriel Perez had access to the president’s speeches before they were delivered and was accused of placing unlawful wagers on words that would be spoken.

© Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

Gabriel Perez, a former teleprompter operator for President Trump, before the start of a campaign rally in Iowa in 2024.
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Trump Creates a Space Academy and Honors the Artemis Astronauts

President Trump presented the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the Artemis II crew, which took a journey around the moon.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

President Trump referred to the astronauts, including Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman, as “fearless explorers.”
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Trump Raises Money in Texas With Control of the Senate in the Balance

Many Republicans are hoping for financial support from President Trump, whose fund-raising power in the party remains unmatched despite his low poll numbers.

© Meridith Kohut for The New York Times

A cutout of President Trump in Cypress, Texas, during the Republican primary runoff for Senate between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Senator John Cornyn in May.
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Administration Lawyer Chosen to Lead Panel Considering Trump Construction Projects

Mark Paoletta, also a close associate of Justice Clarence Thomas’s, has been named by President Trump to lead the National Capital Planning Commission.

© Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times

As the chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, Mark Paoletta will be tasked with vetting President Trump’s planned arch and other construction projects.
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New White House Counsel Isn’t a Yes Man, but He Won’t Say No, Either

Will Scharf has proved his loyalty to President Trump, even filming a TV ad in which he blows away documents from the president’s legal cases. His new role will be to provide in-house legal advice.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Will Scharf in the Oval Office earlier this month.
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Gazebos From Uzbekistan: The Latest Foreign Gifts in Trump’s Washington

The structures will go up in West Potomac Park, the site of President Trump’s planned National Garden of American Heroes.

© Andrew Leyden for The New York Times

Workers moving materials for Uzbek gazebos at West Potomac Park on Tuesday. President Trump’s expansive plans for the area also include reflecting pools, dining facilities and an amphitheater.
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