President Donald Trump announced on February 5, 2026, that he intends to build the Independence Arch, a 250-foot-tall triumphal arch at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island near the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington.
The monument will stand taller than Paris' 164-foot Arc de Triomphe and Mexico City's 220-foot Monumento a la Revolución. Trump said the height represents one foot for each year since 1776.
Trump first showed a model of the arch at a White House donor dinner in October 2025. He described it as a gateway to the capital, honoring military heroes and national pride. In a December 31, 2025, interview with POLITICO, he said construction would start "sometime in the next two months." The White House includes the project in its semiquincentennial plans, alongside Kennedy Center renovations.
Renderings show three classical designs inspired by the Arch of Titus in Rome, with fluted pilasters and a single grand opening. One version includes gold gilding.
The arch will align with the Lincoln Memorial across the bridge, standing taller than the memorial's 99 feet but shorter than the U.S. Capitol's 288 feet.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One in January 2026, "I'd like it to be the biggest one of all. We're the biggest, most powerful nation."
The site is along Reagan National Airport's flight path. FAA coordination is underway for height approval. The National Civic Art Society, led by Justin Shubow, helped design the classical style. Trump cited his 2020 executive order promoting traditional federal architecture.
This monument is a declaration of American exceptionalism, a symbol of triumph and lasting greatness. Construction is set to begin soon, just in time for the nation's 250th birthday. The message to the world could not be clearer.