Focus on the BIG picture.
Monday, Feb 02, 2026
Outside the box.
Trump Reaffirms Plan for Monumental Arch in Washington, D.C. and Says He Wants It to Be the Largest in the World
President advances vision for a 250-foot Independence Arch to mark America’s semiquincentennial and symbolise national stature
President Donald Trump has reiterated his determination to see a new triumphal arch constructed in Washington, D.C., saying he wants the monument to be “the biggest one of all” as part of celebrations for the United States’ 250th anniversary next year.
The proposed structure, known as the “Independence Arch,” would rise to some 250 feet, eclipsing nearby monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial and Paris’s Arc de Triomphe in height, Trump told reporters during a recent trip from Washington aboard Air Force One.
The president described the ambitious design as befitting the nation’s global leadership and power.
The location under consideration for the arch is Memorial Circle, a site of symbolic importance that sits between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery near the Potomac River.
Architectural experts have warned that an arch of this scale could disrupt the historical visual corridors of the capital and overshadow existing memorials, while Trump and his supporters argue that a grand arch would serve as a fitting patriotic landmark for the semiquincentennial.
Trump has said that the arch could begin construction within months, even as federal review and planning processes remain underway.
Renderings and models presented by the White House show a structure with neoclassical elements and potential gilded accents, reflecting Trump’s broader preference for monumental design.
The monument’s scale is a central point of debate: at 250 feet tall it would surpass iconic structures like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which stands at roughly 164 feet, though it would remain shorter than the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, currently the tallest arch in the United States.
Trump has touted the project as a bold symbol of American achievement and national pride, saying that Washington is “the only city in the world of great importance that doesn’t have a triumphal arch.”
While the Independence Arch remains in the planning stages, with final designs and approvals yet to be completed, Trump’s comments reflect his ongoing push to leave a distinct architectural legacy on the capital in conjunction with other high-profile projects.
As momentum builds toward the nation’s semiquincentennial, the debate over the arch’s size, placement and impact on the capital’s historic landscape is likely to intensify.
The proposed structure, known as the “Independence Arch,” would rise to some 250 feet, eclipsing nearby monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial and Paris’s Arc de Triomphe in height, Trump told reporters during a recent trip from Washington aboard Air Force One.
The president described the ambitious design as befitting the nation’s global leadership and power.
The location under consideration for the arch is Memorial Circle, a site of symbolic importance that sits between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery near the Potomac River.
Architectural experts have warned that an arch of this scale could disrupt the historical visual corridors of the capital and overshadow existing memorials, while Trump and his supporters argue that a grand arch would serve as a fitting patriotic landmark for the semiquincentennial.
Trump has said that the arch could begin construction within months, even as federal review and planning processes remain underway.
Renderings and models presented by the White House show a structure with neoclassical elements and potential gilded accents, reflecting Trump’s broader preference for monumental design.
The monument’s scale is a central point of debate: at 250 feet tall it would surpass iconic structures like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which stands at roughly 164 feet, though it would remain shorter than the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, currently the tallest arch in the United States.
Trump has touted the project as a bold symbol of American achievement and national pride, saying that Washington is “the only city in the world of great importance that doesn’t have a triumphal arch.”
While the Independence Arch remains in the planning stages, with final designs and approvals yet to be completed, Trump’s comments reflect his ongoing push to leave a distinct architectural legacy on the capital in conjunction with other high-profile projects.
As momentum builds toward the nation’s semiquincentennial, the debate over the arch’s size, placement and impact on the capital’s historic landscape is likely to intensify.
