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NEED TO KNOW
- Donald Trump is reportedly aiming to start construction on his proposed “Arc de Trump”
- The monument, which would connect Arlington National Cemetery to the U.S. Capitol, is estimated to cost $100 million and would be funded by private donations
- Trump first introduced the idea in October amid construction on the East Wing of the White House, where he is building a 90,000 square foot ballroom, estimated to cost $200 million
Donald Trump‘s next construction project in Washington, D.C., potentially carries a $100 million price tag, according to Axios citing to insider sources.
PEOPLE reached out to the White House for comment.
Trump, 79, is reportedly aiming to begin construction on his proposed “Arc de Trump” using money that he accrued via fundraising, according to Axios.
“It’s what he’s talking about,” an insider close to Trump told the outlet. “There’s a small arch. A middle arch. A large arch. And he likes the large one, of course, as long as it’s big and gold and white.”
Kevin Dietsch/Getty
Nicknamed the “Arc de Trump” because of its resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the proposed arch would commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.
The monument would sit in the middle of the Memorial Circle roundabout on the opposite side of the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial, which connects the U.S. Capitol to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.
It would be constructed so that it faces the White House, according to reporting by Time and the BBC.
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Trump first introduced the idea of the “Arc de Trump” while speaking to donors in October.
“Every time somebody rides over that beautiful bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, they literally say something is supposed be here,” he told the group, according to reporting by BBC.
Trump showed off several mockups of the proposed arch, which will be adorned with marble statues of eagles and feature a gold statue of Lady Liberty at its center. The difference between the models was the size, with the largest one dwarfing the Lincoln Memorial.
“This would be small, medium, and large… I happen to think the large by far looks the best,” Trump said, according to Time.
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SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty
Citing a senior White House official, CNN reported that the arch was Trump’s idea.
“He came up with the design and has been part of the process every step of the way,” the unnamed source told the outlet.
Additional details about the design, a construction timeline and specifics about the cost remain a mystery. However, Nicolas Leo Charbonneau, a partner and principal designer at architectural firm Harrison Design, shared a watercolor rendering of the arch on X which Trump then reposted on his social media platform Truth Social.
According to reporting by Axios, Trump has raised roughly $1.9 billion to help fund all of his construction plans.
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The massive donations have already funded a 90,000 square foot ballroom on the East Wing of the White House. Construction started in October and has continued despite the ongoing government shutdown, since it is privately funded.
Despite earlier promises that the East Wing would be undisturbed, a White House official reportedly told The New York Times in late October that it was being demolished for the ballroom.
Reports suggest that it will cost approximately $200 million. However, a source told Axios that Trump “over-fundraised for the ballroom, about $350 million.”
In addition to the ballroom, Trump has also made updates to the Rose Garden lawn, which was rebranded as “The Rose Garden Club at the White House,” in September, amongst other construction projects.
A source suggested to Axios that Trump was not slowing down his fundraising efforts, saying, “Donors should get ready.” They added, “He’s coming for more. Sky’s the limit.”




