A graphic of the Arc de Triomphe, which the American "Triumphal Arch" is heavily based on, overlaid onto American and French flags (Ryan Win-Ruan / The Puma Prensa)
By Ryan Win-Ruan, Senior News Editor
Another one of President Donald Trump’s many construction plans, his request for a so-called “Triumphal Arch,” has been a subject of much controversy. Although the plans date back to 2025, there have been recent developments in the planning process, with the last batch of documents being the main subject of a meeting on November 3, the day of the national midterm elections.
Closely modeled after France’s own Arc de Triomphe, the plan, officially named the Monumental Arch is a massive, 250 ft. tall arch topped with a series of golden statues and decorations, centering on a statue carrying an “eternal flame” meant to celebrate the United States’s 250th anniversary.
The arch is one of many projects from the Trump Administration, much like the well known East Wing State Ballroom, and has raised many concerns, both from critics of the administration and from construction and environmental agencies in charge of managing the project. Political detractors have attempted to sue the administration in an effort to stop the project, often citing the alleged “military complex” which it is rumored to house, though this claim is not one which the administration has fully confirmed.
Meanwhile, the arch’s height has caused reasonable worry among architects and engineers, who believe that it will require additional lighting to protect air traffic in the area. This, combined with its size, has also been a cause for concern in terms of its ecological footprint in Arlington Park, where it is planned to be built, and its interruption of the view between Arlington Park and the Lincoln Memorial, which stands opposite of it. Beyond the view itself, this positioning of the two older monuments is considered highly symbolic, representing the reunification of the nation after the Civil War— a sentimental statement which the arch, critics claim, will disrupt.
Although it is unknown what the final version of the arch will end up being, construction is planned to take two to three years, and the upcoming meetings will play a major part in deciding the details.