President Trump has criticized the soaring costs associated with the renovation of the Air Force Cadet Chapel in Colorado, which have now exceeded $300 million. He is calling for an inquiry into what he describes as a “mess.”
Work on restoring the chapel, which started in 2019, is now delayed until November 2028 due to these rising costs. Trump aired his displeasure on Thursday evening, stating that, “The U.S. Air Force Cadet Chapel has been a construction disaster since it was built in 1962. The previous story was that there was a leak on opening day, but that was the good part. Hundreds of millions of dollars were spent.”
He continued, “Renovations have, in essence, been ongoing since construction and are expected to last until 2028, with an additional $90 million required, which brings the total to $335 million. This mess should be investigated. It’s very unfair to the cadets. It’s a complete architectural disaster!”
In August, the Department of Defense had awarded a contract exceeding $88 million to JE Dunn Construction Co. for the chapel’s renovations, pushing the total cost from $247 million to nearly $335 million.
The project is being managed by the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC). They explained recently that a new contract was necessary to tackle “unforeseen structural and design discrepancies” found during the renovation process.
AFCEC mentioned that this funding aims to “ensure the long-term structural integrity and watertightness of the Cadet Chapel, addressing issues that have affected the building since it opened 60 years ago.”
According to the Department of Defense, the renovations at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs are scheduled to be completed by November 13, 2028.
The chapel, standing at 150 feet tall, was inaugurated in 1962 to “meet the spiritual needs of cadets and staff.” It features separate spaces for various faiths, including Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Buddhist, plus two prayer rooms available for all religions. The Air Force Academy highlights that there are two primary levels, with a Protestant nave located on the upper level and rooms for Catholic, Jewish, and Buddhist services below.
