The White House said President Trump will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss his proposal to revamp Washington Dulles International Airport, the primary international airport serving the U.S. capital region. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is also expected to join the discussion on the future of the federally owned facility.
Located about 25 miles (40 km) from Washington, the airport opened in 1962 and features a terminal designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, noted for its sloping roof and Mid-Century Modern character. Despite the terminal's architectural prominence, the administration has sharply criticized the airport's design and functionality, and the president has said he wants to rebuild the facility.
The airport authority reported a strong operating year for 2025, handling a record 29 million total passengers, an increase of 6.4%. By contrast, nearby Reagan National Airport experienced a 5.4% decline in traffic. Dulles is scheduled to add a new 435,000-square-foot (40,412-square-meter) concourse with 14 gates this fall that will serve United Airlines customers.
In public comments last December, President Trump said he planned to rebuild Dulles "because it’s not a good airport. It should be a great airport... They have a great building and a bad airport." He added that he has a new design in mind for the facility.
Federal officials in December sought proposals for a comprehensive overhaul of the airport, an effort that could include tearing down the historic main terminal. The Transportation Department criticized aspects of the terminal’s condition, citing a "jet fuel smell in the concourses" and describing the number of gates in the main terminal as "paltry." The agency added that Dulles "is no longer an airport suitable and grand enough for the capital of the United States."
The airport is operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority under a 50-year lease that was approved by Congress. The lease arrangement means the authority runs daily operations even as the facility remains federally owned.
Recent reporting has detailed discussions in which the president reportedly offered to lift a hold on federal funding for a key $16 billion New York Hudson River tunnel project in return for Senator Chuck Schumer endorsing renaming both Dulles Airport and New York Penn Station after the president. Separately, state lawmakers in Florida last week approved legislation to rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Trump.
Dulles currently carries the name of John Foster Dulles, who served as U.S. secretary of state under President Dwight Eisenhower during the 1950s.
Summary
The White House will convene a meeting to consider President Trump’s proposals to overhaul Washington Dulles International Airport. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is expected to attend. The administration has questioned the terminal’s adequacy and solicited proposals that could include a complete rebuild or demolition of the historic structure; the airport posted a record 29 million passengers in 2025 and will open a new 14-gate concourse this fall.
Key points
- Federal meeting set to review plans to redesign or rebuild Dulles Airport, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expected to participate.
- Dulles reported a record 29 million passengers in 2025, up 6.4%, while Reagan National saw a 5.4% decline in traffic; a new 435,000-square-foot, 14-gate concourse for United Airlines is due this fall.
- The Transportation Department has solicited overhaul proposals that could include tearing down the historic main terminal, citing operational and capacity concerns.
Sectors potentially affected include transportation infrastructure, airport operations and construction-related markets.
Risks and uncertainties
- Scope of reconstruction - Proposals could call for extensive demolition or rebuilding of the main terminal, creating uncertainty for contractors and airport operations.
- Political bargaining - Reports of negotiations linking federal funding for other infrastructure projects to renaming efforts introduce political risks tied to project approvals.
- Operational disruption - Any major construction or demolition at an active international airport could disrupt airline schedules and passenger flows in the region.
These risks could affect the transportation and construction sectors as well as airline operations.