US President Donald Trump loves to regale anyone within range of his decades of experience with real estate and building, his thorough knowledge of steel, concrete, stones, paints, plasters, gold, colours – all the materials that bring buildings, plazas, memorials and parks to purpose and vibrancy.

As president, Trump revels in ensuring he has the power to resuscitate, redeem and renew government property and public real estate – to rebuild and refurbish to perfection.

To that end, he has statues and fountains cleaned and repaired, roads repaved and parks replanted. Those smaller projects are welcome. Many Washington precincts look better, cleaner, fresher.

But much of what Trump has conceived is not applauded. The latest of these is the outrage cause by the US$14 million (A$20.2 million) renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which now has large strips of blue paint peeling away and a significant problem with algae.

The president insists it is the work of vandals. Social media is in meltdown. So how did it come to this?

In Trump’s second term, he has instituted several major Washington revamps with apparent disregard for public opinion. While there are laws, commissions, boards, and experts who are to be consulted on these things, Trump has ensured........

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