Trump backs construction of World’s largest triumphal arch in DC

Washington, Feb 2: Calling for the “biggest one of all,” President Donald Trump has backed a proposal to construct the world’s largest triumphal arch in Washington, DC, arguing the capital deserves a monument to match America’s global stature.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he wants the arch to be the “biggest one of all,” describing the United States as the world’s most powerful country. “For 200 years, they wanted to build an arch,” he said, outlining his vision for reshaping the capital.

Trump framed the proposal in a global view, noting that roughly 57 cities around the world already have triumphal arches. Washington, which he called the “only major city” without one, should no longer be an exception, he said.

The remarks build on an announcement Trump made in January, when he revealed that work on a triumphal arch in DC is expected to begin soon.

In October, Trump had told donors at a dinner that the monument would be constructed near the Lincoln Memorial, marking a ceremonial entrance to the nation’s capital along the Arlington Memorial Bridge. At the dinner, he displayed models of the proposed structure and described multiple design options, The Hill reported.

“It’s going to be really beautiful. I think it’s going to be fantastic,” Trump said at the time. “There’s a rendering of what it will look like. You have three sizes.” He added that he favored the largest option, saying, “Whichever one would look good. I happen to think the large one.”

The proposed monument has drawn comparisons to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.

The arch is part of a broader work of renovation projects that have become a defining focus of Trump’s second administration. The White House is currently undergoing upgration, including the construction of a new ballroom and changes to the Rose Garden and Palm Room.