Donald Trump has unveiled his latest grand plan: the so-called ‘Arc de Trump’.
Yep, while he’s not blasting magazines over their photo choices or engaging in awkwardly long handshakes, it seems the US president has been dreaming up some more architecture.
I mean, it’s a call back to his roots really, as a real estate developer by trade.
In order to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, Trump has announced he wants to build a triumphal arch across from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, not far from him in the White House. Reportedly being privately funded by the president’s supporters, he made the announcement in the East Room on Wednesday (15 October) to donors who bankrolled a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
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In a bit of a show and tell, Trump picked up a model of the giant arch with quite a resemblance to France’s Arc de Triomphe - hence the nickname.
He wants the arch to be at Arlington National Cemetery to welcome people into the capital city as they cross over the Memorial Bridge.
“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,” Trump said.
“In 1902, they were going to put a statue of Robert E. Lee up - would have been okay with me. A lot of people wouldn't have liked it, would have been okay with me. It would have been okay with a lot of the people in this room, but they didn’t do that.”
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During the dinner unveiling plans for the White House ballroom, the president said there were three versions of this new arch: small, medium and large.
And shock, Trump said he liked the biggest one the most.
It’s not yet clear when construction on this Arc de Trump will start or how much it’s going to cost.
Before he actually made this announcement, it’s said a reporter noticed a design for the arch on the Resolute Desk and asked what is was for.
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“It’s an arch… it’s going to be built,” Trump reportedly responded - and when asked who it was for, he said: “For me!”
Last Saturday, he also shared an illustration of a plan on Truth Social, designed by Harrison Design architect Nicolas Leo Charbonneau.
And back on 4 September, Charbonneau also posted a watercolour rendering of the proposal on social media as he wrote: “America needs a triumphal arch!”
Does it though?
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Jess Battison