Topline
President Donald Trump unveiled plans to build a massive arch across from the Lincoln Memorial, akin to Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, to mark America’s 250th anniversary.
President Donald Trump holds a model of an arch as he delivers remarks during a ballroom fundraising dinner in the East Room of the White House on October 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Trump presented drawings of the arch, across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial, to his supporters and financial backers of his massive White House ballroom project, including representatives from Microsoft, Meta, Google, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, T-Mobile, Tether and Palantir, according to the White House.
Gemini cryptocurrency exchange co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, NewsMax anchor Greta Van Susteren and Trump’s former chief of staff and Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus were also in the room, according to CNN.
Trump held up various sized models of the so-called “independence Arch,” and said, “I happen to think the large by far looks the best.”
“Every time somebody rides over that beautiful bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, they literally say something is supposed to be here,” Trump said, referring to a traffic roundabout known as Memorial Circle in Arlington, Virginia.
When asked by CBS who the arch is for, Trump answered, “Me. It’s going to be beautiful.”
Over the weekend, Trump posted a rendering by Harrison Design architecture firm that shows a sketch of the stone arch, topped with a golden winged angel and two eagles, to Truth Social.
Tangent
The White House described Wednesday’s gathering as a “thank you” dinner for supporters of Trump’s $200 million ballroom project. Construction of the 90,000-square-foot space began last month. “We really need it,” Trump said. “The United States is the greatest and most powerful nation on earth, and American presidents need to be able to host events at the White House that reflect the demands of the time, and that can . . . carry out the prestige of what we’re all doing.”
Key Background
A rendering of the proposed arch first surfaced on social media in September when Harrison partner and principal Nicolas Leo Charbonneau posted a rendering of the “triumphal arch” on X. A 3D mockup of the arch was also photographed on Trump’s desk in the Oval Office last week. Few other details about the proposal—including how much it would cost, dimensions and how much time it would take to construct—have been made public. The 3D rendering, however, shows a structure that would be as tall as, or bigger than, the Lincoln Memorial.
Further Reading
Trump Teases Apparently Huge Triumphal Arch Across From Lincoln Memorial (Forbes)
Trump’s $200 Million Ballroom Addition Is Larger Than The Existing White House: What We Know (Forbes)
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