Trump wants his own Arc de Triomphe
Massive layoffs in the middle of continued government shutdown are already underway, but the solemn tone may fall on deaf ears in the Oval Office. Because inside the too-gilded walls, a miniature model of President Donald Trump’s next construction project sat atop the Resolute office Thursday as the president’s team stood around the plans.
Trump apparently intends to build a triumphal arch across the river from the Lincoln Memorial to mark America’s 250th birthday, although no timetable or confirmation has been announced. It appears to be slightly taller than the Lincoln Memorial.
The plans were originally teased in September via X by the architect Nicolas Léo Charbonneau, but with a map of the projects spread out on Trump’s deskthe plan seems to be closer to reality.
“America needs a triumphal arch!” » Charbonneau written via last month, although it’s unclear whether his company, Harrison Design, will be involved in the project.
But it’s not just a massive arch that the president has his sights set on. Trump’s footprints are slowly spreading across Washington.
On the White House grounds, the once grassy rose garden has been paved with marble floor. Instead of grassy hills, reporters and guests sit in front of yellow and white furniture reminiscent of Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Another of the president’s projects in the works is a $200 million ballroom, which he reportedly plans to finance in part with the millions he has ripped off from media giants over the past year. Thanks to the settlements, Trump raised nearly $90 million people like Primordial, YouTubeand others on whom he exerted legal pressure.
In addition to the big screens, Trump has also radically changed the Oval Office.
While the changes started to happen slowly with a few gold coins placed throughout the room, the room is now completely adorned with gold woodwork, door moldings, and almost every excuse to make it gold.
Luckily, her style choices are approved by Vice President JD Vance’s 5-year-old son who said gold was also her favorite color.
It’s not uncommon for presidents or first ladies to leave their mark while in office, but Trump’s aggressive approach to remodeling worries some preservationists.
By The New York TimesPresidents have their own committee that advises on how best to preserve the historic White House in the event of changes. And despite the rushed nature of concerns over Trump’s ballroom, experts told the outlet the likelihood of him heeding the warnings is low.
“We’re often seen as an obstacle to progress, and I would say in this particular case, you have a lot of strong personalities and they’re not obligated to really follow the proposed best practices for preservation,” Michael Spencer, a professor of historic preservation at the University of Mary Washington, told the outlet.
As Trump rushes to make his physical impression on the ground, his impacts on politics and people may be remembered more clearly than a generic Arc de Triomphe.
