President Donald Trump has selected a massive 250-foot design for his planned “Triumphal Arch,” a monument intended to mark America’s 250th anniversary and dominate the Washington skyline.
According to sources cited by the Washington Post, the president opted for the largest possible version of the project after reviewing smaller alternatives in recent months.
The proposed structure would rise on a traffic circle on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, positioned between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
At 250 feet tall, the monument would dramatically surpass nearby landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial, which stands at 99 feet, and the White House, which reaches roughly 70 feet.
The scale would also eclipse France’s Arc de Triomphe, which measures about 164 feet and served as an early inspiration for the concept.
Trump first unveiled the Triumphal Arch idea in October, pitching it as a centerpiece for the nation’s Semiquincentennial celebrations in 2026.
Internal discussions initially considered designs measuring 123 feet and 165 feet, mockups of which Trump shared with aides and donors last year.
Sources told the Post that Trump ultimately settled on the 250-foot design after concluding that “250 for 250” best symbolized the anniversary and would have the strongest visual impact.
Funding for the project is expected to come from leftover private donations originally raised for renovations to the White House ballroom, according to people familiar with the plan.
Trump has repeatedly said the arch would “wow” visitors and provide a dramatic focal point for tourists crossing Arlington Memorial Bridge into Washington.
“It starts sometime in the next two months. It’ll be great. Everyone loves it,” Trump told Politico last year, adding that enthusiasm among supporters was overwhelming.
A scale model of the monument, nicknamed the “Arc de Trump,” was photographed sitting on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office during meetings last fall.
The Triumphal Arch is part of a broader slate of attention-grabbing initiatives Trump has floated to mark the anniversary, including a UFC fight night on the White House South Lawn, per the Daily Mail.
Trump said the event would feature multiple championship bouts selected by UFC President Dana White, describing it as “the best ever.”
He has also discussed a large-scale light display projected onto the Washington Monument as part of the celebration.
In private meetings with donors, Trump argued that the traffic circle near Arlington Memorial Bridge has long felt incomplete.
“Every time somebody rides over that beautiful bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, they literally say something is supposed to be here,” Trump told supporters.
Some architects and historians, however, have warned that a 250-foot structure could obstruct historic sightlines between Arlington House, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Lincoln Memorial.
Art critic Catesby Leigh, who previously proposed a temporary 60-foot installation for the site, has publicly objected to the oversized design.
The White House has retained architect Nicolas Leo Charbonneau to develop options ranging from classical stone to gold-accented versions as planning continues.
