President Donald Trump has escalated his criticism of the Air Force Academy's Cadet Chapel renovation, demanding an investigation into what he called a "construction disaster" as costs soar past $300 million.
"The United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel has been a CONSTRUCTION DISASTER from the time it was built in 1962," Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social.
He said the restoration project, underway since 2019, has been plagued by cost overruns and delays, now projected to finish in November 2028. The total price has climbed to $335 million, including a new $90 million contract awarded to JE Dunn Construction.
The Department of Defense, since renamed the Department of War, awarded that contract in August, raising the overall value from $247 million to $335 million.
The Air Force Civil Engineer Center said the added work on the chapel at the academy in Colorado Springs was needed to "address unforeseen structural discrepancies and design conflicts discovered during the restoration process."
Trump's rebuke comes amid growing frustration over the project's rising cost and extended timeline.
The AFCEC has defended the new funding, saying it will ensure the chapel's long-term stability and watertightness.
The cost of the restoration, initially estimated at $158 million, has ballooned due to asbestos discovery, water intrusion, and complex design repairs. The original contract was expected to conclude by 2022, according to the AFCEC.
Revisions and expanded scope have since more than doubled the total cost.
Work is now scheduled to end by Nov. 13, 2028.
Officials had once targeted completion in 2027. In 2023, the final aluminum panel was removed in a public ceremony, marking the shift from demolition to reconstruction.
More than 5,800 cubic yards of asbestos were cleared from the site.
The chapel is a National Historic Landmark and a striking symbol of Air Force Academy life. Its 17 spires and interfaith design house Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, and all-faith worship spaces.
Restoration work includes preserving stained-glass windows, pipe organs, ducts, and facade elements designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
Some preservation experts have defended the project's cost, citing its architectural complexity and cultural importance. But Trump and his supporters argue that the ballooning expenses reflect government mismanagement and waste.
Whether his demand for an investigation spurs congressional or Pentagon action remains uncertain. So far, neither the War Department nor the Air Force has publicly responded to Trump's remarks.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.