Northern Virginia political leaders have reacted coolly to President Donald Trump’s criticisms of Dulles International Airport and his calls for a major rebuilding project there.
Trump called the airport “terrible” and suggested it was “incorrectly designed” during a Dec. 2 Cabinet meeting. Hours later, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it would seek proposals for new terminals and concourses to replace or enhance the facility, which straddles the Fairfax and Loudoun line.
Neither the president’s comments nor the USDOT follow-up made clear how they hope to fund the overhaul, which appears intended to either add to or supersede current redevelopment efforts.
At a Dec. 4 forum sponsored by the Dulles Area Transportation Association, local government leaders and a member of Congress said there’s room for improvement at Dulles. But none of the participants were on board with the kind of major reconstruction suggested by the Trump administration.
“Dulles functions just fine and serves the DMV just fine,” said Michael Turner, vice chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.
Turner — a Democrat like other elected officials at the forum — said Trump’s comments may not have been designed as a serious policy proposal.
“This is about getting Jeffrey Epstein off the headlines,” said Turner, who represents the Ashburn District on the Loudoun county board.
Convicted of prostitution charges in 2008 after allegedly abusing dozens of girls, Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. House Democrats released emails last month suggesting Trump, one of many high-profile acquaintances of the financier, knew Epstein was trafficking girls.
Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who represents the county’s Hunter Mill District northeast of the airport, acknowledged Dulles “could be better.”
“It’s not perfect,” he said, but “the airport is working well.”
Alcorn pointed to the long-range plan of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which plans to phase in improvements in coming decades and potentially triple passenger counts to 90 million annually.
Dulles and Reagan National Airport remain owned by the federal government but have been operated since the late 1980s under a long-term lease by the airports authority. No matter who is in charge of future airport development, “it’s going to be going through some growth pains,” Alcorn said.
Though he joined the meeting after local officials discussed the topic, Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-11) was asked by moderator Adam Tuss to weigh in.
Walkinshaw said Trump’s commentary on Dulles came during a day that included “a series of bizarre statements” on various topics from the president.
“[Dulles] has had an incredibly successful post-pandemic period,” said Walkinshaw, a former Fairfax County supervisor who was elected in September to succeed the late Rep. Gerald Connolly.
There was an acknowledgment at the Dec. 4 meeting about safety concerns related to two recent incidents involving mobile lounges (also known as people movers) at the airport.
Following the incidents, MWAA’s CEO earlier this month said the authority plans to phase out the surface-transportation vehicles over time, but it could be more than a decade before they’re no longer necessary to connect terminals not yet accessible by other means, such as AeroTrain.
Despite their differences on most issues, Walkinshaw and Trump were in alignment on one point related to Dulles: Both praised for the sweeping original terminal, designed by architect Eero Saarinen, that served as the airport’s centerpiece when it opened in 1962.
“It’s actually a beautiful airport,” Walkinshaw said.
Excepting the Saarinen terminal, the Trump administration thinks otherwise. In the draft U.S. Department of Transportation request for proposals, it said:
“Washington, D.C.’s, airports should be a source of pride for Americans. Yet they are anything but. Washington Dulles International Airport in particular — the busiest of the three airports servicing the National Capital Region — has fallen into a state of disrepair since it opened its doors in 1962.”
The proposal says the Department of Transportation will forward all submissions to MWAA for “consideration and potential sponsorship.”
Another participant on the Dec. 4 panel was Deshundra Jefferson, who chairs the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. She said residents of her locality were happy to have a choice of airports to select from.
“I like having both airports close by. I appreciate having different options,” she said, without weighing in on the Trump comments.
Jefferson did get in a plug for Manassas Regional Airport. Currently the state’s largest general aviation facility, airport leaders have notified the Federal Aviation Administration they are hoping to start commercial service next year.
