In 2017, during his first term, US president Donald Trump watched French troops encircle the Arc de Triomphe and march through the streets of Paris for the nation’s annual Bastille Day celebrations.
He returned home wanting his own military parade. In June, when troops and tanks traversed Washington, he got his wish. Now he may get his own triumphal arch, in the style of the Arc de Triomphe, along that same route.
Here’s what we know so far about Mr Trump’s proposal to build a triumphal arch in Washington, across the river from the Lincoln Memorial.
What will the arch look like?
Trump publicly unveiled his plans for the arch last week, during a dinner for the wealthy donors who are funding the $200 million ballroom addition to the White House.
He showed off renderings and presented three models in different sizes, all of which looked similar to the Arc de Triomphe, France’s neoclassical monument that was finished in the 19th century.
“Small, medium and large – whichever one, they look good,” Mr Trump said, holding out the models. “I happen to think the larger one looks by far the best.”
The main difference in design between the arch in Paris and Trump’s proposal appeared to be the addition, at the top of the arch, of a gold, winged statue of a woman figure. Mr Trump said she was Lady Liberty, though the statue on Liberty Island in New York Harbour does not have wings. The gold figure more closely resembled depictions of the Roman goddess of victory.
Mr Trump said the arch would be set on Memorial Circle, a roundabout in front of Arlington National Cemetery and across the Potomac river from the Lincoln Memorial. Anyone entering or leaving the US capital via Arlington Memorial Bridge, which stretches across the river, would have a full view of the arch at that site.
Little more is known about the design for the arch. A few days before the dinner, Mr Trump posted to social media an illustration of what appeared to be an at-least-50ft marble arch, matching the models he presented at the dinner.
It was credited to Harrison Design, an architecture firm with an office in Washington. Neither the firm nor the White House responded to questions on Tuesday.
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What will the arch represent?
A journalist asked Mr Trump last week who the arch is for. He responded, “Me. It’s going to be beautiful.”
The arch is planned to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States in July next year, according to a post from an employee of Harrison Design.
Triumphal arches date back to ancient Rome and have celebrated notable figures or significant events, said Jason Montgomery, an architect and urban designer based in Washington.
This proposal appears to be another instance of the US president asserting his creative vision over the White House and Washington. He has repeatedly said he wants to “fix up” the city.
Trump has made considerable changes at the White House, paving over the Rose Garden, bringing gold flourishes and furniture to the Oval Office and adding a ballroom to the East Wing.
In recent months, Mr Trump has also sought control over the aesthetics of federal buildings, eyeing plans for the redevelopment of southwestern Washington and ordering federal buildings to maintain a classical style of Greco-Roman architecture. The planned arch fits into that theme.
Can a president order the construction of a new memorial – and how will he pay for it?
The White House has not answered questions about the planned arch, including whether Congress or federal agencies are being consulted, as they must be on most memorials proposed for federal land.
Memorial Circle, the roundabout where Mr Trump has said the arch will sit, appears to be managed by the National Park Service, meaning new construction would be subject to the Commemorative Works Act of 1986.
That federal law lays out a process for new memorials. They must be authorised by Congress and then face a year-long planning, design and review process that involves several government agencies, including the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. Those agencies are currently closed because of the government shutdown.
The process could be long and arduous. The arch’s proposed site seems to fall near an area called the reserve, where new memorials are prohibited in order “to preserve the integrity of the Mall” and prevent overcrowding. Congress has granted only a few exceptions to build in the reserve.
An apparent goal of construction by July 2026 suggests that Mr Trump may seek to circumvent the usual process. It also remains unclear how he would pay for the construction of a large new memorial, especially if Congress is not designating funding.
The White House did not respond to questions about how the arch will be funded. But last week, the president told the corporate executives gathered that they had been “so generous” that the new White House ballroom was fully paid for.
“In fact, we’ll have money left over,” Trump said. “We’ll use that for something. We’ll use that probably, maybe, for the arch.” – This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
