President Donald Trump says his administration is planning a new “triumphal” arch in Washington, D.C., modeled after Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.
Speaking at a White House reception on Sunday, Trump said he has put his former speechwriter and Domestic Policy Council director, Vince Haley, in charge of the project. He described the planned structure as an “unbelievable” arch to be built near the Lincoln Memorial, by the Arlington Bridge, across from Arlington National Cemetery.
“We have a policy thing that’s going to be unbelievable happening,” Trump said, pronouncing “arch” in the French style. “I put Vince in charge of the triumphal arch. We’re building an arc like the Arc de Triomphe, and we’re building it by the Arlington bridge, the Arlington cemetery opposite the Lincoln Memorial.”
The plan first surfaced publicly in October, when an Agence France-Presse news agency photo taken inside the White House appeared to show a map with a new arch marked near the Potomac River. Concrete details remain limited, but critics online have already started referring to it as the “Arc de Trump.”
Newsweek reached out to the White House by email to comment on this article outside of normal business hours.
Why It Matters
Trump has also been renovating the White House, drawing mixed reactions. Supporters have argued that presidential changes to the property are nothing new, while critics say the updates are unnecessary and risk damaging a historic landmark.
A large new monument in the heart of D.C. would likely be seen as part of a broader effort to shape how Trump’s presidency is remembered in the capital. While the project could be framed as a jobs initiative, it may also intensify criticism from those who believe the administration is stretching presidential authority too far.
What To Know
Trump argued that Washington is missing a feature found in other major world capitals.
Trump said Washington D.C. was “the only city in the world that’s of great importance that doesn’t have a triumphal arch.”
“It is something that is so special,” he said of the proposed structure. “It will be like the one in Paris but to be honest with you it blows it away.” He was referring to the Arc de Triomphe, built in the 19th century to honor those killed in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.
“We’re going to have something that the likes of which has never been done before,” Trump said.
In October, Trump posted an illustration of an arch designed by Harrison Design architect Nicolas Leo Charbonneau on Truth Social, though it is unclear whether that design will be used. He has also displayed images and physical models of a potential arch on a desk inside the White House.
What People Are Saying
Political cartoonist Nick Anderson posted an image in November showing an arch made from files associated with Jeffrey Epstein and captioned it: “Arc de Trump.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts wrote on X on December 8: “Thanks to Republicans’ chaotic policies: Small businesses have let 120,000 employees go. Grocery and utility prices are up. The cost of health care is skyrocketing. But instead of helping struggling families, Trump is looking into building a giant ‘Arc de Trump.’”
Trump told donors in October: “Every time somebody rides over that beautiful bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, they literally say something is supposed be here. We have versions of it… This is a mock-up.”
What Happens Next
Trump did not provide a construction timeline or additional specifics about funding, design selection, or when ground could be broken.
