Trump touts 55 pounds of gold leaf used to regild iconic Washington sculptures

Trump the four monumental equestrian statues near Arlington Memorial Bridge had not been regilded in over 50 years, Trump said on Truth Social.

First Published: July 5, 2026, 4:04 PM EST

WHITE HOUSE — Donald Trump highlighted the regilding of monumental sculptures near Arlington Memorial Bridge by mentioning the source (see truthsocial) on a Truth Social post on July 5, 2026 at 10:47 AM EST.

Here is the full post on [truthsocial]: “regilding of the sculpture “Valor” is complete, and the regilding of the sculpture “Sacrifice” is rapidly progressing. After “Sacrifice” is regilded, regilding work will begin on the two Arts of Peace sculptures— Each of which is also 19-feet-tall, and on top of 12.5-feet-tall solid granite pedestals. These four sculptures have not been regilded in over half-a-century. 55 pounds of gold leaf is being used in this effort. The first set of photos below is of the completed regilding of “Valor,” while the second set of photos below is of the in-progress regilding of “Sacrifice.””

The post describes a sweeping restoration effort involving four 19-foot-tall gilded equestrian sculptures that stand atop 12.5-foot solid granite pedestals near the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. The project requires 55 pounds of gold leaf and marks the first time the statues have been regilded in more than half a century (see washingtonreporter.news).

The sculpture titled “Valor” has been completed, while work on “Sacrifice” is now underway. Once “Sacrifice” is finished, crews will turn to the two Arts of Peace sculptures, which are of the same scale and sit on identical granite bases.

Regilding is the painstaking craft of applying ultra-thin sheets of gold leaf to a surface using a specialized adhesive known as gilding size (see johncanningco.com). The process demands precision because the leaf is extremely fragile, and each layer must be carefully burnished to produce a uniform, luminous finish. For exterior sculptures exposed to weather, oil-based adhesive is typically required to protect against moisture damage.

Photos shared with the post show one of the massive equestrian statues encased in a temporary protective structure built from wooden rafters, metal scaffolding, and Tyvek house wrap. The freshly applied gold leaf gleams with a bright, reflective finish, illustrating the dramatic transformation the restoration delivers.

The four sculptures — “Valor,” “Sacrifice,” and the two Arts of Peace statues — are landmark features of the ceremonial entrance to Washington from Virginia across the Potomac River. Their deterioration over decades had left the once-golden figures visibly tarnished, making the current regilding a significant act of cultural preservation.

In the last 30 days, 36 of 511 Trump posts were on the topic of “Culture,” placing this announcement within a broader pattern of posts devoted to art, monuments, and national heritage.