US President Donald Trump has unveiled plans for a grand “Arc de Trump”, a triumphal arch to be built opposite the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. The structure, inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, would mark the 250th anniversary of the United States — and, according to Trump, stand as a new gateway to the nation’s capital.
A Monument with a Message
Speaking at a private donor event, Trump said:
“Every time someone drives across that beautiful bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, they feel something should be there. This arch will complete that vision.”
Renderings displayed in the Oval Office show the arch rising near the Memorial Bridge, welcoming visitors from Arlington National Cemetery. The project, Trump said, would be funded by private donors, with leftover money from his $250 million ballroom project.
However, historians and planning experts warn that constructing a new monument in Washington is no simple feat. Federal law requires congressional approval and a multi-agency review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts — a process that can take years.
“Given the design, environmental, and aesthetic reviews, this arch is unlikely to be approved and built before July 4th next year,” said Preston Bryant, former NCPC chairman.
Trump’s Expanding Vision for the Capital
The proposed arch is part of a broader set of projects that reflect Trump’s personal aesthetic — one critics describe as “gilded opulence.”
These include a White House redesign with marble floors, a massive ballroom, and a “Presidential Walk of Fame” along the West Wing colonnade.
Instead of former President Joe Biden’s portrait, Trump installed an image of an autopen signing his name, referencing his claim that Biden’s use of the device symbolized his decline — though historians note the practice is standard for all presidents.
While Trump calls the projects a “revitalization of American greatness,” critics see them as an attempt to reshape Washington’s democratic symbolism into a reflection of one man’s brand of power.
A New York Times essayist described the Oval Office redesign as a “Gilded Rococo Nightmare.”
What Lies Ahead
It remains unclear when — or if — construction on the Arc de Trump will begin. Under federal law, government funds cannot be used for such monuments, meaning Trump’s supporters would have to raise the full amount privately.
Architect Nicolas Leo Charbonneau, who shared a watercolor design online, wrote simply: “America needs a triumphal arch.”
Yet as the proposal circulates, Washington’s skyline — long defined by its monuments to democracy — faces a new question:
Will the next symbol to rise in the capital celebrate the nation’s ideals, or the ambitions of one man?
