&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Ours will be greatest': Trump eyes India Gate-inspired arch for America’s 250th Independence anniversary")
US President Donald Trump praised New Delhi’s India Gate, calling it “India’s beautiful Triumphal Arch,” and said that a similar monument planned in the United States would surpass all others. Standing 42 metres tall, India Gate, often compared to the Arc de Triomphe, commemorates nearly 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives while serving in the British Army during World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Trump shared an image of the landmark on Truth Social, writing that while India’s monument is impressive, America’s version would be “the greatest of them all.”
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One over the weekend, Trump revealed that his administration is exploring plans to construct a grand arch in Washington, DC, inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe. He noted that while 57 cities around the world already have such monuments, Washington lacks one. According to Trump, the proposed structure would be “the most beautiful in the world” and larger than any existing arch. He added that a committee is being formed to oversee the project, emphasizing that the monument should reflect the stature of the United States as the world’s most powerful nation.
According to reporting by The Washington Post, Trump evaluated several smaller designs before settling on the tallest option, saying he wanted the monument to leave a lasting visual impact on visitors. Earlier concepts reportedly included heights of 165 feet and 123 feet. Despite Trump’s earlier suggestion that construction could begin quickly, progress has been slow. Federal design approvals have not yet been finalized, and the proposed location, Memorial Circle, falls under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, requiring multiple regulatory clearances.
If approved, the arch would loom over nearby landmarks, including the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Sources told The Post that Trump frequently refers to the plan as “250 for 250,” framing the monument’s height as symbolic of the nation’s historic milestone.
