Trump claimed in March 2026 that he personally paid for a $689,232 polished African granite walkway installed at the White House connecting the Oval Office to the residence, but Atlantic reporting confirmed Park Service records show taxpayers covered the entire cost. The discrepancy matters because it illustrates a pattern of the administration redirecting National Park Service funding toward White House renovation projects while claiming personal payment. The reporting also indicates total D.C. renovation costs under Trump could exceed $1 billion, funded partly through diverted park maintenance budgets that were meant for struggling park infrastructure repairs.