Independence Arch, or so-called “Arc de Trump,” plans include taxpayer funds



Washington — American taxpayers will help fund the construction of President Trump’s planned triumphal arch in Arlington, Virginia, according to the spending plan for the National Endowment for the Humanities released by the administration this week. 

According to the endowment’s spending plan approved by the Office of Management and Budget in September, $2 million in special initiative funds and $13 million in matching funds “are reserved for the arch.” NEH, an independent federal agency, often funds projects through a combination of federal dollars and matching private contributions. NOTUS first reported that taxpayer funds are expected to be used for the arch. 

It’s not yet clear what private funds may go toward Independence Arch, though the president previously indicated that leftover private funds from his White House ballroom addition could be used. The White House has not yet disclosed an estimated cost for the arch. The president has said the massive ballroom he’s building at the White House at a cost of $300 million to $400 million will be funded entirely by private donors, in contrast to the arch.

OMB and NEH did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The president says the arch will commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary, and he’s previously displayed a model in the Oval Office. The renderings and model show an arc resembling France’s Arc de Triomphe sitting across from the Lincoln Memorial on the Virginia side of the Potomac River by Washington, D.C. The president said he wants the arch to be the “biggest one of all” in the world, even though the proposed site is situated along a flight path for nearby Reagan National Airport. 

“It’s the only city in the world that’s of great importance that doesn’t have a triumphal arc,” the president said in December. “… And this one is going to blow them all away. The one that people know mostly is the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. And we’re going to top it by I think a lot.”

When CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe asked the president in October whom the arch is for, he responded, “Me. Going to be beautiful.” After the president said the arch was for him, some nicknamed it the “Arc de Trump.” 





Source link

  • Related Posts

    See the messages Brian Hooker sent his friend after wife’s disappearance in the Bahamas: “The wind blew me away”

    The day after his wife disappeared during a nighttime boat ride in the Bahamas, Brian Hooker told a friend that she tried swimming back to him following her apparent fall…

    Top Regent Defends Firing of Wisconsin University Leader

    In testimony before state lawmakers, regents suggested that Jay O. Rothman had been well aware of the board’s concerns about his leadership. Source link

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    ChatGPT finally offers $100/month Pro plan

    ChatGPT finally offers $100/month Pro plan

    White House calls Trump ballroom a national security necessity that’s ‘vital’ to the first family’s safety

    White House calls Trump ballroom a national security necessity that’s ‘vital’ to the first family’s safety

    Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus address Tiger Woods arrest, recovery

    Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus address Tiger Woods arrest, recovery

    Trump administration proposes gutting rules targeting coal plant ash that threatens groundwater

    Trump administration proposes gutting rules targeting coal plant ash that threatens groundwater

    Iran war’s impact on inflation, consumer sentiment: What to Watch

    Iran war’s impact on inflation, consumer sentiment: What to Watch

    These B.C. students are trying to drum up $250K to save their music programs

    These B.C. students are trying to drum up $250K to save their music programs