What Is Arc De Trump? Trump's Latest DC Construction Project
What Is Arc De Trump? Trump Touts Latest DC Construction Project
So you may be wondering, what Is Arc De Trump? Well, President Donald Trump has revealed plans to erect a massive triumphal arch in the nation’s capital to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American Independence next year, according to Time. During a donor dinner held in the East Room of the White House on Oct. 15, Trump presented renderings and a series of scale models of the proposed structure.
Holding up various models, he quipped, “This would be small, medium, and large… I happen to think the large by far looks the best.” The comment sent the room into a fit of laughter, according to a video posted by the National Desk on Wednesday.
The design, reminiscent of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, would be located directly across from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., according to the renderings. The plans place the arch in the center of the Memorial Circle roundabout, aligned to face the White House and serving as a symbolic gateway to the capital for those entering via the Arlington Memorial Bridge from the Arlington National Cemetery, USA Today noted.
Reporter Ed O’Keefe coined the term Arc de Trump.
The proposal has already earned a nickname among D.C. politicians: the “Arc de Trump.”
Earlier that day, during a press conference in the Oval Office, a model of the arch sat prominently on Trump’s desk. When CBS reporter Ed O’Keefe asked, “Who is it for?” Trump replied, “Me. It’s going to be beautiful.”
“The Arc de Trump?” O’Keefe suggested.
When will the Arc de Trump be completed?
Although the cost and timeline for the project have not been confirmed, a potential designer may already be in place. In early September, Nicolas Leo Charbonneau, a partner at the architectural firm Harrison Design, shared a watercolor concept of the arch’s construction.
“America needs a triumphal arch,” Charbonneau stated, describing it as a proposal to mark the 250th anniversary of Independence Day in 2026. Trump later reposted the rendering on Truth Social.
The arch isn’t the only major design Trump discussed. During the same dinner, he also gave an update on another one of his capital projects: the construction of a huge White House ballroom. Originally announced in July, the ballroom is reportedly being funded by the same donor base, which has contributed nearly $250 million to complete the effort, according to USA Today.
Trump revealed that the ballroom project had been “fully financed” and that there was some “money left over” to possibly fund the arc’s construction.
“We’ll use that probably maybe for the arc, or something else that will come,” he said on Wednesday.
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