The White House has unveiled plans for a gold-accented giant victory arch dubbed the 'Arc de Trump', that Donald Trump wants built in the nation's capital. The 250ft (76m) monument, if approved, would be taller than the US Capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial, and feature a golden Lady Liberty-like torch and crown.
It will be 'the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World' Trump wrote on social media. 'This will be a wonderful addition to the Washington DC area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!'
The arch is just one of Trump's controversial efforts to reshape Washington's landscape and faces legal hurdles similar to his new ballroom project. The administration said it has officially filed the plans with the Commission of Fine Arts, a panel made up of Trump allies, which will review the proposal next week.
American taxpayers will help fund the project, according to a publicly available spending plan for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) released by the White House. As per the spending plan, the NEH will dedicate $2 million (£1.5 million) in special funds and $13 million in matching funds to the project.
Trump has previously said that since his ballroom project was 'fully financed', some of the leftover money would be used to fund the arch. The renderings of the arch depict gold inscriptions that say 'One Nation Under God', topped with two gold eagles, and guarded by statues of four gold lions.
The arch will serve 'as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250-year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today', White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement.
When the president announced the project last year, he said he wanted the arch to be based on the Arc de Triomphe in France, and for it to welcome people into the nation's capital from Arlington National Cemetery as they cross the Memorial Bridge into the city.
The arch is another example of the president's makeover efforts in the US capital. Besides the ballroom project and extensive interior design changes at the White House, the administration also plans to close the Kennedy Center for large scale renovations. The performing arts venue, which has been rechristened to include Trump's name, will close for two years in July, amid opposition from historic preservation groups pursuing a lawsuit to halt the changes. Plans are also being made for the construction of the National Garden of American Heroes, with a location in Washington, D.C. under consideration.
It will be 'the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World' Trump wrote on social media. 'This will be a wonderful addition to the Washington DC area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!'
The arch is just one of Trump's controversial efforts to reshape Washington's landscape and faces legal hurdles similar to his new ballroom project. The administration said it has officially filed the plans with the Commission of Fine Arts, a panel made up of Trump allies, which will review the proposal next week.
American taxpayers will help fund the project, according to a publicly available spending plan for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) released by the White House. As per the spending plan, the NEH will dedicate $2 million (£1.5 million) in special funds and $13 million in matching funds to the project.
Trump has previously said that since his ballroom project was 'fully financed', some of the leftover money would be used to fund the arch. The renderings of the arch depict gold inscriptions that say 'One Nation Under God', topped with two gold eagles, and guarded by statues of four gold lions.
The arch will serve 'as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250-year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today', White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement.
When the president announced the project last year, he said he wanted the arch to be based on the Arc de Triomphe in France, and for it to welcome people into the nation's capital from Arlington National Cemetery as they cross the Memorial Bridge into the city.
The arch is another example of the president's makeover efforts in the US capital. Besides the ballroom project and extensive interior design changes at the White House, the administration also plans to close the Kennedy Center for large scale renovations. The performing arts venue, which has been rechristened to include Trump's name, will close for two years in July, amid opposition from historic preservation groups pursuing a lawsuit to halt the changes. Plans are also being made for the construction of the National Garden of American Heroes, with a location in Washington, D.C. under consideration.
