Donald Trump doesn’t know the difference between an ‘arch’ and an ‘arc,’ but he’s sure it will ‘blow everyone.’
At the White House Christmas Reception on Sunday, Donald Trump spent several minutes boasting about a grand new triumphal arch for Washington. Except he kept calling it an arc, probably because he wants to name it “Arc de Trump.” The mistake was small, but the symbolism was unmistakable.
Standing at the podium at the reception, Trump decided to unveil what he framed as a historic national project. He launched into a rambling monologue about constructing a massive triumphal arch in Washington. Only Trump didn’t call it that. He repeatedly referred to it as an “arc,” and said it’d be modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
“I put Vince in charge of the triumphal arc,” Trump said. He explained that the structure would be built near Arlington Cemetery, across from the Lincoln Memorial, and continued:
“We’re building an arc like the Arc de Triomphe… It will be like the one in Paris, but to be honest with you, it blows it away. Blows it away in every way.”
And the president went on like this for minutes. He confidently misused the word while praising the project’s beauty, scale, and supposed historical destiny. “It’s the only city in the world that’s of great importance that doesn’t have a triumphal arc. And this one is going to blow them all away,” he claimed.
“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.”
At one point, he even gestured with his hands, forming a curved shape in the air. It was as if to help the audience understand the “arc” he was describing. But perhaps, he needs help understanding that more. The irony didn’t escape anyone watching. Trump was boasting about a monument he couldn’t correctly name. On top of it, he insists it would surpass one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
As one user put it, “He mispronounces it, misunderstands it, and still thinks it’ll be historic. Somewhere, the dictionary has left the chat.”
But the criticism didn’t stop at vocabulary. Trump framed the project as something Washington had been “waiting for” for 200 years. He even blamed the civil war for getting in the way of its construction.
“I think the Civil War got in the way of it… It’s been waiting for hundreds of years, and they were going to build on it a couple of times. It never happened. But it’s a circle that’s been waiting to have the arc built on it.”
But Washington already has numerous memorials designed to commemorate the democratic ideals of the nation. Triumphal arches are traditionally symbols of conquest, victory, and personal legacy, almost an imperial sign. But maybe, that’s precisely what Trump wants. As one user summed it up bluntly: “This isn’t a mix-up. It’s the tell. A man who can’t name an arch wants to carve his ego into a nation.”
Other users also questioned the timing of his grand endeavor. While Trump spoke about building a monument meant to “blow away” Paris, millions of Americans are struggling. They’re dealing with expiring healthcare subsidies, stagnant wages, and rising living costs. “People cannot afford healthcare, but Trump is going to build an ARCH,” one wrote, emphasizing the word he couldn’t.
Another jabbed, “Thank you, Baby Jesus. We’re finally getting an arch that will help Americans with their medical bills, food, and housing.” While one half mocked the ambition, others mocked the symbolism. “Triumph over what?” one asked. “Democracy?” And quite frankly, the U.S. has no recent triumphs to mark with an arch. The monument is unnecessary to the point that it would only serve as a symbol of Trump’s ego.
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