It’s been called the “Arch of Trump.” But now President Donald Trump’s latest architectural project has an official name: “The American Arch.”
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt revealed the official name on Wednesday, saying the giant structure was being built to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence.
“To commemorate this historic moment, President Trump and the Department of the Interior will submit plans for the United States Arc de Triomphe,” Levitt told reporters.
Showing a photo of her original inversion, Levitt said the “monumental” arch would be 250 feet tall “to commemorate the 250th anniversary.”
Its immense height, including the massive golden Statue of Liberty on top, means it will dwarf its most famous predecessor, the 164-foot-tall Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
In fact, it will be the largest building of its kind in the world, surpassing Mexico City’s Monument to the Revolution and knocking Pyongyang’s Arc de Triomphe into third place.
Plans for the arch were first revealed in October after an AFP reporter spotted a model on Trump’s desk in the Oval Office, and it was quickly dubbed the “Trump Arch” by the US media.
Trump unveiled the first complete renderings of the building on Friday.
The arch is one of several building projects that have left a mark on Washington during Trump’s second term, including building a massive White House ballroom and renovating the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Critics say the golden arches, which will tower over the 99-foot-tall Lincoln Memorial, are a monument to the 79-year-old Trump’s vanity.
The arch will be funded in part by U.S. taxpayers, with $2 million in special funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and up to $13 million to match any donations, ABC News reported.
But Levitt said the move was meant to celebrate America’s national pride.
“Long after everyone in this room is gone, our children and grandchildren will continue to be inspired by this national monument,” she told reporters.
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