Given the personality who conceived it, it was necessary for it to be the tallest of all triumphal arches in the world. Initially dubbed the “Trump Arch”, the monumental arch project envisioned by the President of the United States in Washington had its name officially revealed by the White House on Wednesday. It will be called (simply) the “United States Triumphal Arch”.
The spokeswoman for the US executive, Karoline Leavitt, announced it during a press briefing. The monumental arch will rise to 250 feet (over 76m) “in honor of the 250 years of independence of the country”. It will indeed be built to mark the 250th anniversary of the declaration of independence of the United States on July 4th.
Featuring a colossal statue of liberty allegory at its top, it will surpass the Revolution Monument in Mexico. And it will push Pyongyang’s Arc de Triomphe (North Korea) to third place. In comparison, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris stands at 50 meters high.
“Exalting national pride” or Trump’s pride?
The arch is part of a long list of architectural projects undertaken by Donald Trump in the American capital at the beginning of his second term, including the construction of a gigantic ballroom at the White House. While the total cost has not been disclosed by the White House, the project will be partially funded by American taxpayers.
According to Karoline Leavitt, the “United States Triumphal Arch” will exalt national pride. Critics of Trump see it as a monument to the vanity of the current 79-year-old president.
