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Donald Trump continues his efforts to reshape Washington…
After his controversial interior design changes, the renaming of the Kennedy Center and the White House’s East Wing ballroom project, Trump wants his very own arch in the nation’s capital.
Indeed, the White House has unveiled plans for a giant “Triumphal Arch” – dubbed the “Arc de Trump”, as it bears an uncanny resemblance to France’s Arc de Triomphe.
If approved, the 76m monument would be taller than both the US Capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial.
It will be “the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World” Trump wrote on social media, alongside a mock-up design. “This will be a wonderful addition to the Washington DC area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!”
The administration said it has officially filed the plans with the Commission of Fine Arts, a panel made up of Trump allies.
Considering the current context of the war with Iran, the loss of life in the Middle East and soaring gas prices, many have expressed their criticism for the controversial “vanity project”.
“Americans worried about inflation and Trump is using tax dollars for wars, arch and his pet projects”, one person wrote, while another said the “sickening” move was ‘Embarrassing shit.”
Check out some other reactions below:
Previously, a group of Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian sued the Trump administration over the arch. They warned that the arch would clash with the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery’s message of unity after the Civil War.
“It will block historically significant reciprocal views between those two memorials that were consciously designed and that have existed for nearly a century,” the group said in the 19-page lawsuit. “With the erection of the arch, Arlington House will no longer be visible from the Lincoln Memorial, and the view of the Lincoln Memorial from Arlington House will be obscured, disrupting the historic and symbolic link between the two.”
The group argued that Trump’s plans violate the Commemorative Works Act of 1986, and that the project is unlawful. They also stated that the arch could impact air travel at Ronald Reagan National Airport.