{"id":1403978,"date":"2026-02-04T12:46:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T17:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/?p=1403978&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=1403978"},"modified":"2026-02-04T12:53:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T17:53:00","slug":"trump-washington-arch-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/2026\/02\/04\/trump-washington-arch-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump says Washington has waited 200 years for the arch he wants to build. Not quite"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By WILL WEISSERT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 President <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/donald-trump\">Donald Trump<\/a> says history is on his side.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"related left\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\" data-curated-ids=\"\" data-relation-type=\"automatic-primary-section\">Related Articles<\/h2><ul><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/2026\/02\/08\/housing-costs-are-crippling-many-americans-heres-how-the-two-parties-propose-to-fix-that\/\" title=\"Housing costs are crippling many Americans. Here\u2019s how the two parties propose to fix that\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tHousing costs are crippling many Americans. Here\u2019s how the two parties propose to fix that\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/2026\/02\/07\/vaccine-court-overhaul\/\" title=\"Her son\u2019s injury never got its day in vaccine court. Their lawyer is now advising RFK Jr. on its overhaul\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tHer son\u2019s injury never got its day in vaccine court. Their lawyer is now advising RFK Jr. on its overhaul\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/2026\/02\/06\/border-family-separation\/\" title=\"Judge orders Trump administration to bring back 3 families deported to Honduras, other countries\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tJudge orders Trump administration to bring back 3 families deported to Honduras, other countries\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/2026\/02\/06\/epstein-house-unredacted-files\/\" title=\"Justice Department will allow lawmakers to see unredacted versions of released Epstein files\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tJustice Department will allow lawmakers to see unredacted versions of released Epstein files\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/2026\/02\/06\/us-social-service-funds\/\" title=\"Feds can\u2019t withhold social service funds from 5 Democratic states amid fraud claims, judge rules\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tFeds can\u2019t withhold social service funds from 5 Democratic states amid fraud claims, judge rules\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><\/ul><\/aside>\n<p>He wants to build a towering <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-arch-lincoln-memorial-bridge-washington-ca88586c68a6301f87146a8ca2091b33\">arch<\/a> near the Lincoln Memorial and argues that the nation\u2019s capital first clamored for such a monument two centuries ago \u2014 even going so far as to erect four eagle statues as part of the project before being derailed by the attack on Fort Sumter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was interrupted by a thing called the Civil War, and so it never got built,\u201d Trump said aboard Air Force One as he flew to Florida last weekend. \u201cThen, they almost built something in 1902, but it never happened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s history is off \u2014 the eagles he references are actually part of a bridge connecting Virginia and Washington that was built decades after the Civil War. The closest Washington came to an arch was a wood and plaster construction built in 1919 to mark the end of World War I \u2014 and even that was always meant to be temporary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor 200 years they\u2019ve wanted to build an arc,\u201d Trump said, meaning an arch. \u201cThey have 57 cities throughout the world that have them. We\u2019re the only major city \u2013 Washington, D.C. \u2013 that doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chandra Manning, a history professor at Georgetown University, said Washington was fledgling in the 19th century, dealing with a housing shortage, a lack of boarding houses for visitors, roads that went nowhere and an incomplete U.S. Capitol.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWashington coming into the Civil War was still this unfinished city,\u201d Manning said. \u201cThere\u2019s no push for decorative memorialization in Antebellum Washington because it\u2019s still such a place that doesn\u2019t even have all the functional buildings it needs yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump has offered a similar historical rationale for the <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-white-house-ballroom-national-security-de9756118bbfca8f40af9cf89db6af5b\">$400 million ballroom<\/a> he <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-ballroom-white-house-east-wing-mclaurin-f3ca84b49843b3eb3c14ad6d48f117c3\">demolished the White House\u2019s East Wing<\/a> to begin building \u2014 arguing that officials for 150 years have wanted a large event space.<\/p>\n<p>That claim, too, is dubious. While space at the White House has indeed <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-white-house-ballroom-usher-03f6362b6f5ffbf1b8ccbcf709157777\">long been an issue<\/a>, there\u2019s no record of public outcry for a ballroom. Trump nonetheless is employing a similar argument to justify the arch.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it will be the most beautiful in the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<h4>\u2018Biggest one of all\u2019<\/h4>\n<p>The arch would stand near the Arlington Memorial Bridge, which spans the Potomac River.<\/p>\n<p>Trump first unveiled the idea at an October dinner for top donors to his ballroom. Without divulging how much the arch would cost, who would pay for it or whether he\u2019d seek approval from planning officials, the president showed off three different-sized arch models, all featuring a statue of Lady Liberty on top.<\/p>\n<p>The president acknowledged then that the largest one was his favorite, and The Washington Post reported that Trump is mulling building an arch standing 250 feet (76 meters) tall. Asked about that aboard Air Force One, Trump didn\u2019t confirm the exact height he desires, but offered: \u201cI\u2019d like it to be the biggest one of all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re setting up a committee, and the committee is going to be going over it,\u201d Trump said. \u201cIt\u2019ll be substantial.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The president says he\u2019d like the new structure to be reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es in Paris, which was built to honor those who fought for France during the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars.<\/p>\n<p>But that monument stands only 164 feet high. A 250-foot Washington arch would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial and White House, and even rival the Capitol, which stands 288 feet.<\/p>\n<p>The finished arch would be part of a building boom Trump has personally triggered, anxious to use his background as a onetime New York construction mogul to leave a lasting physical mark on the presidency.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the ballroom, Trump is <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-kennedy-center-closing-renovations-c6dba4a46e71b0d0e48d46501195366c\">closing the Kennedy Center<\/a> for two years of renovations amid backlash from artists over changes he\u2019s made at the nation\u2019s premier performing arts venue. He <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/visit\/\">replaced<\/a> the lawn in the Rose Garden with a patio area reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and redecorated the Lincoln Bathroom and Palm Room in the White House\u2019s interior.<\/p>\n<p>Trump also installed a <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-presidential-portraits-biden-autopen-white-house-e8624154e72631e723930ea549bb8910\">Walk of Fame<\/a> featuring portraits of past presidents along the Colonnade, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/donald-trump-flagpoles-a0928efcdcb6d1362a0e1827e96d0344\">massive flagpoles<\/a> on the north and south lawns, and golden flourishes, cherubs and other flashy items to the substantially overhauled Oval Office.<\/p>\n<p>The arch would extend the president\u2019s influence into Washington, where he has talked of beautifying \u201ctired\u201d grassy areas and broken signage and street medians and also <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-washington-dc-trump-db4e232d38ae5978975191edd496b94c\">deployed the National Guard<\/a> to help break up homeless encampments.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1403980\"  class=\"wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyautosizes lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Trump_Arc_65532.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Memorial Circle, the proposed plot of land near Memorial Bridge where the Independence Arch could be built is seen in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nathan Howard)\" width=\"5922\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Trump_Arc_65532.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"1403980\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Trump_Arc_65532.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Trump_Arc_65532.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Trump_Arc_65532.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Trump_Arc_65532.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Trump_Arc_65532.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Memorial Circle, the proposed plot of land near Memorial Bridge where the Independence Arch could be built is seen in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nathan Howard)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Harrison Design, a local firm, is working on the project, though no construction start date has been announced. Trump wants to unveil the new structure as part of celebrations marking <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/volunteering-america-250-girl-scouts-d1d5ae0f04713e3daab778ab7b2dc942\">America\u2019s 250th birthday<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4>The bridge actually came after the Civil War<\/h4>\n<p>Pressed on what Trump meant by the four eagles, the White House sent a photo showing eagle sculptures at the four corners of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, but no further details.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPresident Trump is right. The American people for nearly 200 years have wanted an Arch in our Nation\u2019s capital to showcase our great history,\u201d White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement. \u201cPresident Trump\u2019s bold vision will be imprinted upon the fabric of America and be felt by generations to come. His successes will continue to give the greatest Nation on earth \u2014 America \u2014 the glory it deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The president\u2019s timing is off, though.<\/p>\n<p>The Arlington Memorial Bridge was first proposed in 1886, but it wasn\u2019t approved by Congress until 1925. According to the National Park Service, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/gwmp\/planyourvisit\/memorialave.htm\">the bridge was conceived after the Civil War<\/a> and meant to memorialize the symbolic reunification of the North and South.<\/p>\n<p>It was originally built to link the site of the Lincoln Memorial with the home of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee \u2014 where Arlington National Cemetery now stands. At the time, the direction the eagles would face \u2014 right or left, meant to symbolize inward toward the city or outward facing visitors \u2014 sparked controversy.<\/p>\n<p>The park service says the bridge was constructed between 1926 and 1931, and an engineer\u2019s report lists only slightly different dates \u2014 still decades after Trump\u2019s timeline.<\/p>\n<p>Washington also once had a Victory Arch built near the White House in 1919, to commemorate the end of World War I. It was wood and plaster, however, and meant to be temporary. That structure was torn down in the summer of 1920.<\/p>\n<p>A 2000 proposal called for a peace arch in Washington, but those plans were abandoned after the Sept. 11 attacks the following year.<\/p>\n<p>Manning, who is also a former National Park Service ranger, said that, Washington aside, \u201cI don\u2019t know of a long U.S. tradition of building arches for things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat sounds like an import from elsewhere to me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>He plans to unveil it as part of America&#8217;s 250th birthday celebrations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":1403979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7867,22,27],"tags":[7601],"feature":[],"location":[],"type-of-work":[7197],"coauthors":[799],"class_list":["post-1403978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-politics","category-news","category-politics","tag-network","type-of-work-news"],"post_status":"","edit_last":0,"edit_lock":0,"highlights":"","original_byline":"","original_canonical":"","original_category":"","original_email":"","original_id":0,"original_pubdate":"","original_source":"","primary_section":"7867","primary_tag":0,"print_workflow_body":"","print_workflow_exported_ts":"","print_workflow_exported_username":"","print_workflow_shapes":"","print_workflow_side":"","really_short_title":"","short_title":"","syndication_source":{"canonical":"https:\/\/www.twincities.com\/2026\/02\/04\/trump-washington-arch-history","id":"cG9zdDoyNDQ1ODA2","siteName":"Sharing Dash","syndicationSourceStack":[{"canonical":"https:\/\/www.twincities.com\/2026\/02\/04\/trump-washington-arch-history","id":"cG9zdDoyNDQ1ODA2","siteName":"Sharing Dash","sourceUrl":"https:\/\/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com"}],"source_url":"https:\/\/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com"},"market_neutral_title":"","social_title":"","dfm_hub_post_id":0,"paywall_level":"","featured_media_content":{"content_type":"image","content":{"id":1403979,"title":"Trump_Arc_64342","filename":"Trump_Arc_64342.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Trump_Arc_64342.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.thenewsherald.com\/2026\/02\/04\/trump-washington-arch-history\/attachment\/1403979\/","alt":"","author":"14","description":"","caption":"Memorial Circle, the proposed plot of land near Memorial Bridge where the Independence Arch could be built is seen in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. 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