EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump's Secret 'Build, Baby, Build' Mantra Revealed
Donald Trump's secret 'Build, Baby, Build' mantra was reportedly revealed.
Sept. 10 2026, Published 11:47 a.m. ET
Donald Trump has adopted a private "build, baby, build" mantra in the White House, according to political insiders who have told RadarOnline.com the president remains intensely focused on reshaping Washington as his administration confronts war and instability overseas.
Trump, 80, has pushed ahead with construction plans during his second term, including a new White House ballroom, proposals for a 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery and changes at the Kennedy Center.
'Build, Baby, Build' Mantra
Donald Trump pushed ahead with construction plans during his second term.
His enthusiasm for construction has become a recurring feature of conversations inside his administration, as the United States remains embroiled in conflict with Iran and wider Middle East tensions.
One Washington political source exclusively told Radar: "People around Trump have come to recognize that construction is where his energy changes completely. He can spend hours dealing with military briefings or diplomatic problems, but once a building project comes up, he becomes visibly more animated. The phrase he jokes about privately is 'build, baby, build' – just like his 'drill, baby, drill' catchphrase when it comes to oil – because he talks about these projects as if Washington itself is his own personal development site.
"He has always seen himself as a builder before almost anything else, and the presidency gives him a canvas unlike any he had in New York. His critics think the contrast is jarring – major international crises on one side, and detailed conversations about stone, columns, gold finishes and monuments on the other. To them, it reinforces the idea that he is determined to leave something physical behind."
White House Construction And Late-Night Calls
Howard Lutnick described Trump’s fascination with construction.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has publicly described Trump's fascination with construction as a subject which surfaces in private conversations.
He told the New York Times: "He loves to build. This is what he enjoys. So late at night, 11 o'clock at night, he calls me and wants to talk about things he's building, because it's fun for him… and the one thing he likes to do during the week is construction."
The Supreme Court allowed work on Trump's White House ballroom to proceed, while the administration has also discussed excavation for the proposed triumphal arch before completion of a federal review.
The Kennedy Center board, led by Trump allies, has voted to add the president's name to the building's sign.
Trump made his reputation in real estate before entering politics and has long complained about planning restrictions in New York.
Speaking to ballroom donors last year, he said about the project: "You mean I can actually do something that I really want?"
Trump The 'Good Builder'
Trump blamed 'vandals' after the Reflecting Pool coating began peeling.
He recalled being told: "You're the president of the United States. You can do anything you want."
But the projects have attracted criticism over cost and process.
The White House's historic East Wing was demolished without congressional approval, while a new helipad was built without a formal review.
Work on the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial also drew attention after a new coating began peeling. Trump blamed "vandals" without providing evidence.
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Trump called himself a good builder during a tour of the ballroom site.
The combined cost of his construction ambitions could reach $1billion, while a Washington Post/Ipsos poll in July found nearly two-thirds of Americans viewed his three principal projects negatively.
Trump recently told New York Magazine about his construction projects: "Nobody will do it once I'm gone. When I leave here, nobody will."
During a May tour of the ballroom site, he declared: "I'm a really good builder. The thing I do best in life is build."
