Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. The man has put his name on everything from steaks to skyscrapers, so why not an arch? President Donald Trump has now announced plans to build what he calls the “Arc de Trump” opposite the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Yes, as in the Arc de Triomphe, just more… Trump.
According to reports, the arch will look a lot like the famous one in Paris, complete with columns, eagles, and gold details. It’ll greet visitors crossing from Arlington Cemetery into the capital. Because apparently, what D.C. has been missing all along is a monument to Trump’s sense of, well, triumph.
According to CNN, he made the announcement at a dinner for billionaires and donors who helped fund his new White House ballroom, a $250 million project. Between the gold, the marble, and the chandeliers, it’s starting to sound like Versailles on the Potomac.
If this feels a bit over the top, it’s just the latest in a series of home makeovers Trump’s been doing since returning to the White House. Remember when he tiled over the grass in the Rose Garden? Or when he unveiled the “Presidential Walk of Fame,” lining the West Wing with gold-framed portraits of himself and the other presidents? Apparently, he’s been giving world leaders tours, saying, “Come see my renovations!”
To be fair, Trump has a point when he says Washington doesn’t have an arch. Most major capitals do. But this isn’t exactly about architecture, is it? This feels more like a full-circle moment for a man whose brand has always been about being bigger. Bigger buildings, bigger hair, bigger everything.
Critics are already calling the idea a “gold-plated rococo nightmare,” but honestly, that kind of fits the Trump aesthetic. Love him or not, you have to admit, he’s consistent.
And maybe there’s something fitting about it too. America’s turning 250 in 2026, and the arch will supposedly be part of those celebrations. So perhaps this “Arc de Trump” will end up being more than just a monument to one man’s ego, maybe it’ll be a monument to a very American quality: never missing a chance to make something a little louder, shinier, and unapologetically over the top.
Still, I can’t help but imagine Lincoln looking over from his marble chair, trying to keep a straight face.
