President Trump said on January 31: “I want this country to be the greatest country. We are the biggest and most powerful country. I want it to be the greatest country.”
President Trump announces plans to build ‘Independence Arch’ to commemorate 250th anniversary of nation’s founding
President Trump reveals plans to build an “Independence Arch” near Arlington Cemetery to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026 (Scripps News)
scripps news
President Donald Trump says he wants the new arch planned for the National Mall in Washington to be the largest of its kind in the world.
“It’s going to be huge,” Trump told reporters as he flew to Florida on Air Force One on January 31. “I want it to be the biggest thing. We’re the biggest, most powerful country. I want it to be the biggest thing.”
President Trump was responding to a question about a Washington Post report that he wants a 250-foot-tall arch. It is more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial and is the largest of the three proposals considered by Mr. Trump. He said on Jan. 31 that the arch’s height is “appropriate for the site.”
President Trump unveiled three different arch models in various sizes at a White House event in October. In a social media post on January 23, he shared renderings of three arches with different features, including statuary and gold accents.
Each version has the words “Independent Arch” at the top of the structure.
The arch will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.th This year marks the anniversary, and President Trump supports the 250-foot version, in part because it matches the anniversary, The Washington Post reported.
President Trump pointed out that other cities have similar arches. The most famous is the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Some are calling Trump’s version the “Trump edition.” He told Politico on Dec. 31 that construction could begin within two months.
The arch will overlook the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial to the other side of the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Mr. Trump, a real estate developer turned president, has begun his second term by quickly setting out to make his mark not just on policy but on the physical landscape of Washington, D.C. He tore out the White House Rose Garden to install a patio, demolished the East Wing of the White House to build a large ballroom, and renovated the Kennedy Center and gave it his name.
Contributor: Joey Garrison
