IndyCar Race Zooms Through Washington, D.C., Showing a Changed City

For the first time ever, IndyCar racing is coming to the streets of Washington, D.C. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will take place on Saturday and Sunday as part of America's 250th birthday celebrations. Cars will race past some of the country's most famous buildings and monuments. The event is also shining a spotlight on how President Donald Trump has changed the nation's capital during his second term in office.

The race route winds down historic Pennsylvania Avenue, around the National Archives, and past many well-known cultural buildings. At almost every turn, visitors can see signs of changes Trump has made to the federal government. Those changes include mass firings at government agencies, spending cuts, and new policies at museums and national landmarks.

The racetrack passes near — but not right next to — the U.S. Capitol building. Organizers had to keep their distance because holding the race any closer would have needed approval from Congress, which often struggles to agree on things. During his first year back in office, Trump pushed a major tax and immigration package through Congress and helped speed up the approval of his nominees. However, a slowing economy and other issues have since made it harder to pass new laws.

Pennsylvania Avenue is one of the most famous streets in America, and Trump has traveled down it twice after being inaugurated. Now, racecars will zoom down that same road at up to 185 miles per hour. To get the street ready for racing, workers will weld down manhole covers, remove certain road barriers, and put up chain-link fences to catch any debris that flies off the race surface.

The National Archives building holds some of the most important documents in U.S. history, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. After his first term ended, Trump kept classified government records and took them to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. The FBI later searched the club, and Trump was charged with 37 felony counts, though those charges were eventually dropped. Shortly after returning to office, Trump fired the head of the National Archives.

The FBI's main building is now in very poor shape — nets hang from parts of it to stop chunks of concrete from falling on people walking below. FBI Director Kash Patel announced in December 2025 that the agency would permanently close the building and move to a different office. However, no date for the move has been given yet.

The National Gallery of Art felt the effects of Trump's return to power very quickly. Within days of Trump taking office again, the gallery got rid of its diversity, equity, and inclusion department, following one of Trump's executive orders. Officials also ran a special study to find out if the force of the speeding race cars could damage the building or the artwork inside, but said they would not share the results with the public.

The National Mall is a long, open area that connects government buildings to cultural institutions in Washington. This summer, it has hosted big events for America's 250th birthday, including a FIFA World Cup fan festival and a Great American State Fair. It has also been the site of disagreements over art, memorials, and renovation projects.

The Air and Space Museum is the most visited of all the Smithsonian's museums, welcoming more than 3 million people every year, and it has artifacts from NASA's Apollo moon missions and the Wright brothers' 1903 airplane. The Trump administration recently criticized the Smithsonian, saying it was trying to rewrite U.S. history in a negative way, but the Smithsonian and many historians strongly disagree. Trump has pushed for big space goals, including returning astronauts to the moon by 2028 and sending missions to Mars before his term ends.

The Department of Education is getting ready to leave its current building after Trump's team cut about 70% of its workers. Trump promised during his campaign to eliminate the department entirely, but that would require a law passed by Congress. The now mostly empty building will soon be handed over to the Energy Department instead.