Everything's 'National Security' in Trump's Washington (Half the Answer #106, with Stephanie Mencimer)

Donald Trump is changing the landscape of Washington—literally. From East Potomac Park to the Kennedy Center to the 'Arc de Trump,' everything he touches turns to plaster and adhesive gold-colored filigree. And all the while, D.C. is still under occupation by National Guard out-of-towners. Stephanie Mencimer, a senior reporter with Mother Jones and resident of the city under siege, joins us.

Half the Answer can be heard on Spotify, on Apple, on YouTube, on Amazon, and elsewhere via its RSS feed.

Resources

https://bsky.app/profile/smencimer.bsky.social

https://www.motherjones.com/topics/reveal-podcast/

https://www.youtube.com/@MotherJones

https://www.tiktok.com/@motherjonesmag

https://www.motherjones.com/author/Stephanie-mencimer/

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/fore-trumps-dc-golf-course-is-already-in-the-rough/

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/05/the-kennedy-center-was-part-of-dc-life-trump-destroyed-it/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/30/trumps-upscale-golf-plan-would-destroy-dc-haven-cyclists-runners/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/29/trumps-arch-not-expected-feature-drones-snipers-officials-say/

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NZIUqUdoz2I

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/23/secret-white-house-bunker-undercuts-trumps-ballroom-lawsuit-ex-officials-say/

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/us/politics/trump-ballroom-construction.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/09/30/kennedy-center-was-solvent-when-trump-took-over-then-its-finances-collapsed/

https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/29/politics/mike-lee-kennedy-center-bill

https://apnews.com/article/trump-rose-garden-historical-statues-founders-sculptures-0fe922ef11337b4937adf3ac505e9b5b

https://www.turtlediaries.net/p/update-from-the-great-american-state

https://people.com/trump-rose-garden-renovations-complete-photo-timeline-11985903

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/a-year-of-troops-in-washington/688317/

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-put-thousands-soldiers-washingtons-streets-they-seldom-stop-crime-2026-08-19/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/daily-news-lessons/2025/10/east-wing-of-white-house-torn-down-as-trump-clears-space-for-his-ballroom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNpIOlDhigw