The monument plan was presented to the American Fine Arts Commission, all of whose members were appointed by Donald Trump.
Once dubbed the “Trump arch,” the monumental arch project envisioned by the American president in Washington was officially named the “United States Arc de Triomphe” by the White House.
The executive spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, announced it during a press briefing, emphasizing that the structure would be built to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, to be unveiled on July 4. In honor of this historic occasion, Donald Trump and his administration will submit plans for the “United States Arc de Triomphe,” she declared.
Showcasing an initially upside-down image, Karoline Leavitt specified that the monumental arch will rise to 250 feet – over 76 meters – in homage to the 250 years of the country’s independence. With a colossal statue of liberty allegory at its peak, the arch will be much taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris at 50 meters.
It is set to become the tallest structure of its kind in the world, surpassing the Monument to the Revolution in Mexico and relegating the Pyongyang Arc de Triomphe in North Korea to third place. Plans for the Washington arch were first revealed in October when AFP journalists spotted a model of the structure on Donald Trump’s Oval Office desk.
Financed by American taxpayers, the first complete images of the monument were unveiled on Friday. The arch is part of a long list of architectural projects undertaken by Donald Trump in the American capital at the beginning of his second term, including the construction of a massive ballroom at the White House on the east wing.
The structure with golden accents will cast a shadow on its future neighbor, the Lincoln Memorial, which stands just over 30 meters tall. Critics view the arch as merely a monument to the vanity of the 79-year-old current president. While the total cost has not been disclosed by the White House, the project will be partly funded by American taxpayers.
According to Karoline Leavitt, the “United States Arc de Triomphe” will exalt national pride. “Long after everyone in this room has disappeared, our children and grandchildren will be inspired by this national monument,” she told the press.
