Ex-US President Donald Trump has revealed plans to build a huge triumphal arch alongside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Nicknamed the “Arc de Trump,” the monument would mark the 250th anniversary of America and is said to be paid for privately by Trump’s own fans.
A property tycoon prior to his move into politics, Trump originally mentioned the project at an Oval Office session last week, when there were renderings of the planned building on display. Modeled after Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, the building is to greet visitors traveling from Arlington National Cemetery over the Memorial Bridge into the capital.
Trump explained at a recent fundraiser dinner that the project exists in three design formats – small, medium, and large – but confessed that he favored the biggest. Trump indicated that remaining funds from his $250 million White House ballroom project would also go toward funding the arch. He characterized the ballroom as “fully funded,” suggesting the triumphal arch might follow in his series of luxurious developments.
Although nobody knows when the construction will start or what it will cost, renderings posted on Truth Social featured a model created by Harrison Design architect Nicolas Leo Charbonneau, who also placed a watercolor drawing on the internet with the caption, “America needs a triumphal arch!”
If approved, the Trump Arc would sit on federal property inside the borders of D.C., just on the other side of the Potomac River. But experts caution that constructing such a memorial inside the capital is no easy feat. Dr. Christine Henry, Director of the Center for Historic Preservation at the University of Mary Washington, said new memorials would have to go through a 24-step federal approval process with the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA).
Federal legislation also prohibits new projects on the National Mall, already congested with historic landmarks. Preston Bryant, a past NCPC chairman, who was appointed by President Obama, said that while Trump’s desired location could qualify, it would have to have strict criteria of “preeminent historical and enduring significance.”
Approval alone would take more than a year and would probably prevent the project’s completion prior to July 4, 2026, when the nation observes its semiquincentennial. Dr. Henry pointed out that environmental, aesthetic, and engineering reviews would tacked on even more time.
Regarding financing, federal law forbids the expenditure of tax funds on such monuments, which means Trump’s supporters will have to raise the money themselves. There are historical exceptions, however, such as the $10 million federal contribution to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in 2005 to match private donations.
Trump’s plans do not end with the arch. Axios reports that he has ordered dioramas and scale models for other possible projects, such as a gold-plated White House renovation, new marble flooring, and a “Presidential Walk of Fame” with gold-framed portraits of all 45 presidents. Significantly, the frame for Joe Biden shows a photo of an autopen signing Trump’s name, a seeming dig at Biden using the machine.
Trump also entertained foreign leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, presenting them with his design revisions. Critics have nonetheless characterized his décor selections as opulent, with one New York Times journalist referring to his Oval Office renovation as a “Gilded Rococo Nightmare.”
Despite all the outrage, Trump is determined to leave a physical legacy in Washington that reflects his unmistakable style and majesty. Whether the Arc de Trump ever becomes a reality or only exists on paper will be determined by whether it gets through the country’s convoluted memorial approval process on time for America’s 250th anniversary.
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