President Donald Trump is working to imprint his legacy on Washington D.C. with plans to construct a grand arch reminiscent of Paris’s iconic architecture, situated just west of the Lincoln Memorial.
During an exclusive White House dinner, Trump shared his vision with affluent business leaders who have committed funds towards a substantial $386 million project to add an expansive ballroom to the Executive Mansion. However, he refrained from disclosing the financial specifics of the proposed arch.
This ambitious design closely mirrors the renowned Arc de Triomphe in Paris, a monument that pays tribute to those who served during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. The inspiration for this initiative seems to draw from a military parade Trump attended in Paris. Eight years ago, as a guest of French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump witnessed a similar event along the illustrious Champs-Élysées.
Despite the announcement, details surrounding the arch, including its construction timeline, remain sparse as the White House has yet to respond to inquiries seeking further information.
A military parade held in Washington earlier this year to mark the Army’s 250th birthday was inspired after Trump witnessed a similar event down the famous Parisian boulevard eight years ago as a guest of France’s president, Emmanuel Macron.
The White House did not immediately respond Thursday to an emailed request for more information on the arch, including the timeline for completing it.
Harrison Design, a local firm, is working on the project, according to a weekend social media post from Trump. A representative for the firm did not respond to an emailed request seeking comment Thursday.
It was unclear if the White House had presented the proposal to the National Capital Planning Commission, which has responsibility over planning and siting monuments, memorials and statues in the city. The commission’s offices have been closed during the government shutdown.
L. Preston Bryant Jr., a former chairman of the commission, stated in an email that federal law requires that the proposed arch be reviewed and approved by the commission.
The arch would stand at the Washington end of Memorial Bridge, which spans the Potomac River from Arlington, Virginia. At the dinner, Trump showed off three different-sized models of the arch, which will feature a statue of Lady Liberty on top, and acknowledged that the largest one was his favourite.
Trump thanked his dinner guests for being “so generous in your contributions” to pay for the ballroom and said there might be enough money left over to cover the cost of building the arch.
“It’s fully taken care of now and, in fact, we’ll have money left over and we’ll use that for something,” he said. “We’ll use that probably, maybe for the arch or something else that will come. But we love to fix up Washington.”
The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.
That project was announced in late July.
