Documents show the DOJ spent $892,192.07 on an "RFK Beautification Project" at the Robert F. Kennedy building, with a supplemental $54,768 added this week. The work included exterior cleaning, lighting upgrades and oversized banners featuring President Trump; exact banner costs were redacted as 'trade secrets.' The banners, produced by Llorente Enterprises, include the slogan MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Critics, including Sen. Adam Schiff, call the spending wasteful and potentially unlawful propaganda.
DOJ Spent Almost $1M on Giant Trump Banners for RFK 'Beautification Project,' Documents Show
DOJ spent nearly $1 million on banners of Trump’s face and other refurbishments, documents show
Documents obtained by reporters show the Department of Justice spent nearly $900,000 to clean, light and adorn the exterior of its headquarters in Washington, D.C., including oversized banners featuring President Donald Trump.
Project Scope and Costs
The work was carried out at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building under a contract signed in January described as the 'RFK Beautification Project.' The scope included power-washing masonry, upgrading exterior lighting, and installing what the records call "Celebratory Banners" bearing the president's portrait.
A banner of President Donald Trump is illuminated on the exterior of the Robert F Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. The DOJ reportedly spent nearly $1 million on exterior upgrades to the building that included the production and installation of the banners (Reuters)
According to the records, the department paid $892,192.07 for the original contract and this week signed a supplemental agreement that added $54,768. Line items that would show the precise cost of the Trump banners themselves were redacted; the DOJ said those details were withheld to protect 'trade secrets.'
Who Made the Banners
The banners were produced by Llorente Enterprises of Alexandria, Virginia. In addition to a portrait of President Trump, the DOJ banners reportedly include the slogan MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.
A banner depicting President Donald Trump hangs on the exterior of the Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, D.C. (AFP/Getty)
DOJ statement: "The banners were part of a broader beautification project for the historic RFK building, executed under an existing DOJ construction contract. We are proud at this Department of Justice to celebrate 250 years of our great country, and our historic work to make America safe again at President Trump's direction."
Broader Context and Criticism
The Justice Department is not alone: similar banners briefly appeared earlier this year at the Department of Agriculture (which reported a $16,400 cost for its banner) and at the Department of Labor. Officials have also placed and later removed the president's name from several Washington sites, including the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Sen. Adam Schiff, a vocal critic, has been probing the use of presidential images by federal agencies. He pointed to a $39,000 contract for banners at the Department of the Interior that paired Mr. Trump with George Washington and called the displays "a terrible waste of Americans' hard-earned money" and unlawful propaganda.
The records leave open questions about how much of the nearly $947,000 total went specifically toward producing and installing the Trump banners. With cost details redacted, critics say the displays raise concerns about the use of taxpayer funds for what they view as political messaging.
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