Plans for a proposed monument backed by Donald Trump could involve millions in taxpayer funding, according to newly revealed federal budget documents.
The project, known as the “Independence Arch” and informally dubbed the “Arc de Trump,” is intended to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary. It would be located in Arlington, Va., near Washington, D.C., with designs resembling the iconic Arc de Triomphe in France.
According to a spending plan from the National Endowment for the Humanities, approximately $2 million in special initiative funds and $13 million in matching funds have been set aside for the project. The agency typically combines federal funding with private contributions, though it remains unclear how much private money will ultimately support the arch.
The proposal has raised questions about the use of public funds for what critics describe as a vanity project. Trump has previously indicated that some private funding could come from leftover donations tied to a planned White House ballroom expansion, which he says will be privately financed at a cost of up to $400 million.
Renderings of the arch show a large, classical structure positioned across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. The president has expressed ambitions for it to surpass similar monuments globally in scale and prominence.
However, the proposed location has also raised logistical concerns, including its proximity to flight paths serving Arlington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport. Critics argue that the project’s scale and placement could pose practical challenges.
The plan has drawn political scrutiny as well, particularly after Trump remarked in a previous interview that the monument was “for me,” fueling perceptions that the project is more about personal legacy than national commemoration.
Federal agencies involved, including the Office of Management and Budget, have not yet provided detailed public responses about the funding structure or timeline.
