ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13978Executive OrderTrump 45 · R

Executive Order 13978

Building the National Garden of American Heroes

This executive order, signed two days before the end of the Trump presidency, amends a prior order to advance construction of the National Garden of American Heroes—a proposed statuary park featuring 244 named historical figures. It directs the Secretary of the Interior to identify a site and proceed with construction, requires annual public progress reports until completion, and encourages the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities to allocate one-twelfth of their discretionary funds toward commissioning statues.

Federal Register Open PDF 86 FR 6809

Impact dates

  1. Annual public report due each year until National Garden fully established with all statues

Key directives

  • Secretary of Interior to identify suitable site for National Garden
  • Secretary of Interior to proceed with construction to extent consistent with existing authorities or future congressional authority
  • NEA and NEH chairpersons should target one-twelfth of discretionary funds for commissioning statues of named individuals
  • Task Force to publish annual public report on progress until National Garden established with all statues
  • Amendment of 'historically significant American' definition to mean individual with substantive contributions to public life or effect on history

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • EO takes effect upon signing
  • Task Force annual reporting obligation begins

Near term (90d)

  • No specific 90-day deadlines established

Long term

  • Site selection and construction by Secretary of Interior
  • Annual reports until all 244 statues commissioned/placed
  • Potential multi-year monument construction project

Risks & tensions

  • No congressional appropriation secured; funding contingent on 'available appropriations' and 'applicable law'
  • Construction authority explicitly limited to Secretary's 'existing authorities or authority later provided by Congress'—may require legislative action
  • NEA/NEH funding directive uses 'should' rather than 'shall', creating soft obligation
  • Signed 2 days before presidential transition; implementation continuity uncertain
  • Vague timeline: no completion date or milestones for site selection or construction
  • Large statue list (244 names) creates logistical and financial scalability questions
  • Political framing may affect bipartisan support for implementation
Executive Order 13978: Building the National Garden of American Heroes · Executive Orders