Trump administration begins process to sell Washington’s Old Post Office, former Trump hotel landmark downtown
Federal real estate sale plan targets a historic Pennsylvania Avenue property now operating as a Waldorf Astoria
The Trump administration has begun steps to sell the Old Post Office building, a prominent 19th-century landmark on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between the White House and the U.S. Capitol. The property—owned by the federal government and managed through the General Services Administration (GSA)—most recently gained international attention as the home of the Trump International Hotel Washington before reopening under the Waldorf Astoria flag.
The move is part of a broader federal effort to reduce the government’s real estate footprint and generate revenue from properties deemed nonessential or better suited to private-sector control. Planning documents and preservation communications indicate the administration is preparing a disposal process that would transfer ownership while keeping the building’s historic protections in place.
Who holds the lease, and why it matters for a potential sale
The Old Post Office is operated under a long-term lease arrangement rather than direct federal hotel management. The current leaseholder, BDT & MSD Partners, controls the long-term lease and holds contractual rights that place it in a preferential position if the government proceeds with a sale. Any transaction would also have to account for existing hotel management and branding agreements connected to the Waldorf Astoria operation.
The building’s recent commercial history has been complex. In 2013, the Trump Organization signed a 60-year lease with the federal government and financed a major redevelopment to convert the property into a luxury hotel. The hotel opened in 2016, then the Trump Organization sold its lease interest in 2022 for $375 million to CGI Merchant Group. The property later changed hands again when BDT & MSD Partners foreclosed on the leasehold after CGI’s loan default, leaving the lender in control of the lease position that now anchors the administration’s contemplated sale.
Historic status and public access are central issues
Because the Old Post Office is listed as a historic property at both federal and local levels, the sale process is expected to include binding preservation requirements. GSA has signaled that a preservation covenant would be used to help ensure long-term protection of the structure’s character-defining features.
Public access to the building’s tower—long known for its observation deck views—has also emerged as a focal point. In recent months, visitors have encountered closures that have raised questions about how access would be maintained under a new ownership structure. Federal officials have indicated that operational decisions about the tower’s public availability would be addressed as part of next steps.
Key points in the building’s modern timeline
1899: Completed as the headquarters of the U.S. Post Office Department and Postmaster General.
2013: Long-term federal lease awarded to the Trump Organization, followed by a major renovation.
2016: Hotel opens as Trump International Hotel Washington.
May 2022: Lease interest sold for $375 million; the Trump-branded hotel closes.
June 2022: Property reopens as Waldorf Astoria Washington, D.C.
August 2024: Leasehold control shifts to lender BDT & MSD Partners following foreclosure.
The sale process is expected to balance federal disposal goals with preservation obligations and expectations for continued public accessibility in a landmark location.
No sale price or final closing date has been publicly established, and the transaction timeline remains subject to preservation review and the government’s disposal procedures.