Trump Announces Plans for National Monument & Commemorative Coin amidst Capital Renovations
President Donald Trump recently detailed plans for a large-scale national monument and a commemorative coin, alongside ongoing renovations and initiatives reshaping Washington D.C. the announcements were made to a group of donors who contributed to the funding of a recently completed 90,000-square-foot ballroom within the White House.
The centerpiece of the new project is a proposed arch, intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Trump presented miniature models to donors,outlining a vision for the structure to be built opposite the Lincoln Memorial,at the entrance to the Arlington Memorial Bridge. He described the current location as an incomplete circle, noting that previous proposals for a structure there were delayed due to the civil War. He also revealed that a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee had been considered for the site in 1902.The President reportedly intends to name the arch the “Arc de Trump,” modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
Funding for these projects is coming amidst significant changes to the federal budget. A domestic spending bill signed into law in July is projected to increase the national debt by approximately $3 trillion and reduce tax revenue by $4.6 trillion over the next decade. The bill also includes cuts to Medicaid and SNAP totaling over $1.2 trillion, while allocating $40 million to the National Garden of American Heroes, a sculpture garden proposed by Trump.
Further commemorating the President,the U.S.mint is producing a $1 commemorative coin featuring Trump’s face and the phrase “Fight, fight, fight,” in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
these initiatives follow a military parade held in june, celebrating both the Army’s 250th anniversary and the President’s 79th birthday, which cost an estimated $25 million to $40 million. Additionally, large banners featuring Trump’s image were recently displayed on federal buildings in Washington D.C., prompting comparisons to authoritarian displays by some Democratic lawmakers. These actions are part of a broader effort to remodel the nation’s capital, which also includes a £200 million (approximately $255 million USD) refurbishment of the White house ballroom and a federal law enforcement crackdown on alleged “out of control” crime in Washington.
