The nation’s capital already has plenty of landmarks. But this one could top them all.
And Donald Trump shocked all with an announcement of a new monument in Washington, D.C.
Trump’s Bold Vision for America’s 250th: A Triumphal Arch Takes Shape
President Donald Trump is infusing Washington with renewed grandeur ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, spotlighting ambitious plans that include erecting a majestic triumphal arch to honor American heritage.
Images of a detailed scale model surfaced prominently on Trump’s Oval Office desk during high-level meetings this week, first with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday and then with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Thursday. The model depicted an elevated view of the Lincoln Memorial across the Potomac, with the proposed arch rising on the Virginia side.
Positioned over a key traffic roundabout guiding visitors into the capital from Virginia, the arch promises to become an iconic gateway, as illustrated in the photos.
Echoing Global Icons: Design Details and Enthusiastic Backing
Drawing inspiration from Paris’s storied Arc de Triomphe, the envisioned structure features a gleaming golden winged angel flanked by two majestic white eagles at its pinnacle, symbolizing strength and freedom.
The concept gained traction after an architect’s post on X last month. A picture of the arch design was also posted on X by Nicolas Charbonneau, an architect at Harrison Design, which says it “specializes in high-end residential architecture, interior design and landscape architecture.”
“A proposal for a triumphal arch in DC for #America250, in the traffic circle in front of Arlington National Cemetery. America needs a triumphal arch!” Mr. Charbonneau wrote on X last month.
Introduced to Trump earlier this year, the proposal earned the president’s strong endorsement, according to The Washington Post.
Restoring Elegance: From Rose Garden Revamp to Anniversary Spectacle
Trump’s architectural renaissance extends beyond the arch, with recent overhauls to the White House grounds—including a transformed Rose Garden now boasting a stone patio, umbrellas, and rechristened as the Rose Garden Club for exclusive gatherings—and the addition of a grand ballroom.
In August, Trump issued an executive order championing timeless beauty in federal design. “For approximately a century and a half following America’s founding, America’s Federal architecture continued to be characterized by beautiful and beloved buildings of largely, though not exclusively, classical design,” the order says. “In the 1960s, the Federal Government largely replaced traditional designs for new construction with modernist and brutalist ones. The Federal architecture that ensued, overseen by the General Services Administration, was often unpopular with Americans.”
Capping these efforts, Trump’s blueprint for the 250th anniversary envisions sweeping festivities, highlighted by a high-energy UFC event right on the White House lawn.
