Trump shows off his massive "Arc de Trump" construction plans

Washington DC - Maybe someone should tell President Donald Trump that there is already a replica Arc de Triomphe in Las Vegas and multiple other similar arches in NYC. Then he wouldn't need to build yet another one in DC, which will be dedicated to – of course – himself.

President Donald Trump appears to be visibly satisfied with his planned construction project.
President Donald Trump appears to be visibly satisfied with his planned construction project.  © Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

The US will be celebrating its 250th anniversary next year and, of course, Trump will be throwing a huge celebration for the occasion.

He has now provided the first insights into his "birthday plans" – and they are quite something.

According to some new comments from Trump on Wednesday, the 79-year-old is planning a new DC monument that looks very similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

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The so-called "Arc de Trump" is to be financed by generous donations from his most loyal supporters.

The president has already announced the planned location for the new memorial: directly opposite the Lincoln Memorial, on the other side of the Potomac River.

In addition to the construction of another arch, Trump wants to renovate the White House. His plans are to pave the adjacent rose garden and have a modest ballroom built for $250 million.

Plans for the project were posted last month by architect Nicolas Leo Charbonneau and then reposted to Truth Social.

Who is this new DC monument being made for?

It now remains to be decided how large the "Trump arch" should be, and the US president naturally has a clear favorite.
It now remains to be decided how large the "Trump arch" should be, and the US president naturally has a clear favorite.  © Kevin Dietsch / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

When journalists left the Oval Office on Wednesday, they asked who the neoclassical monument would be dedicated to.

"Me," Trump replied. (Well, he's consistent.)

Then on Wednesday night, the president flaunted the models to guests at a fundraising dinner in the East Room to help raise financial support for the White House construction projects.

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He also revealed that there are currently three versions of the arch in the near future – in the small, medium, and large sizes. The largest of these would likely overwhelm other similar monuments, like the Lincoln Memorial.

Trump revealed that he personally likes the large arch best – naturally.

In order to visualize his construction project, Donald Trump had a scale model made.
In order to visualize his construction project, Donald Trump had a scale model made.  © Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP
In all likelihood, the "Trump Arch" will be built opposite the Lincoln Memorial, just across the Potomac River.
In all likelihood, the "Trump Arch" will be built opposite the Lincoln Memorial, just across the Potomac River.  © Screenshot: Google Maps

Trump also assured that the $250 million in donations for the construction of the new ballroom have already been reached. If more is raised, it will be used for the construction of the arch.

It is still unclear exactly when the ground-breaking ceremony will take place, as the building regulations for a new DC monument are very strict. New designs must first go through a rigorous 24-step planning process before they are approved, so the project may be a long way off.

Cover photo: Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

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