President Donald Trump said Sunday that the construction of a triumphal arch in Washington, DC, has become the top priority for his domestic policy chief, highlighting the proposal during a White House holiday gathering as economic pressures continue to weigh on millions of Americans.
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Speaking at the event, Trump praised Vince Haley, a former speechwriter and longtime political aide who now serves as head of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Trump described Haley’s leadership role while outlining plans for a new monument inspired by Paris’ Arc de Triomphe.
“Vince is unbelievable on policy,” Trump said. “And we have a policy thing that’s going to be unbelievable happening.”
Trump then detailed the project, explaining that Haley has been placed in charge of the arch’s development.
“I put Vince in charge of the triumphal arc,” Trump said, using the French term. “We’re building an arc, like the Arc de Triumph,” he added, mixing English and French in remarks later shared by the White House on social media.
According to Trump, the proposed structure would be located near several of the nation’s most recognizable landmarks.
“We’re building it by the Arlington Bridge, the Arlington cemetery, opposite the Lincoln Memorial. You could say Jefferson, Washington, everything, ‘cause they’re all right there,” Trump said.
Trump emphasized that the new monument would surpass its Parisian counterpart.
“And it’s something that is so special. It will be like the one in Paris,” Trump said. “But to be honest with you,” he continued, “it blows it away. Blows it away in every way.”
The president also described Haley’s reaction when he first saw a model of the proposed arch.
“Vince came in one day and his eyes were teeming,” Trump said, apparently reaching for the word “beaming.” “I mean, he couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. He saw it, and he wanted to do that.”
Trump underscored the project’s importance within the administration’s domestic agenda.
“That’s your primary thing,” the president said to Haley. “There is nothing that can compete with that.”
The remarks come as the administration faces criticism over rising costs tied to tariffs and anticipated increases in health insurance premiums affecting millions of Americans. Critics argue that prioritizing a monumental construction project contrasts sharply with the financial challenges facing households nationwide.
The triumphal arch proposal also follows controversy surrounding other high-profile construction initiatives associated with Trump, including the demolition of the White House’s East Wing to make way for a new ballroom project that has drawn legal challenges and criticism from preservation groups.
Despite the backlash, Trump has continued to frame the arch as a signature domestic achievement, positioning it as a lasting symbol within the capital’s historic landscape.
Originally reported by The Guardian.
