‘Is This Trolling or AI?’: Karoline Leavitt’s Update on Donald Trump’s 250-Foot Arch Stuns Social Media

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has shared new details about the a 250-foot-tall triumphal arch, which President Donald Trump plans to build in Washington, D.C.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, April 15, Leavitt showed reporters a rendering of the arch and said the giant structure will be a symbol of celebration for the nation’s 250th anniversary. "President Trump and the Department of Interior will submit plans for the United States ‘Triumphal Arc’ (sic), which will be an architectural masterpiece to celebrate our history right here in Washington, D.C.," Leavitt said.

"This monumental arc will be at 250 feet tall in honor of 250 years... Long after everyone in this room is gone, our children and grandchildren will remain inspired by this."

Online reaction was swift to Leavitt's announcement, with many calling the plan a waste of resources.

"They act like they're making big moves but literally nobody gives a d--- about the arch or ballroom n nobody wants it either... Just a waste of time & money," said one user on X, formerly Twitter.

"Instead of wasting our money on an arch, why don't you spend it on something that actually benefits the people....like all the Social Security money that was robbed!" another person wrote.

"When and where did we achieve this triumph? Asking for a vet," quipped a third person. Is this trolling or AI? This cannot be real," another user wrote.

Trump first revealed his plans to build the gigantic arch last October, during a dinner with the top donors to his $400 million White House ballroom. According to the Irish Star, he showed off three arch models with varying heights, all featuring a statue of Lady Liberty on top.

According to The Associated Press, in February 2026, Trump said that he wants to build an arch near the Lincoln Memorial. He justified his plans by claiming that Washington had wanted such a monument two centuries ago, and that four eagle statues were erected as part of the project before the attack on Fort Sumter derailed it.

"It was interrupted by a thing called the Civil War, and so it never got built," Trump said aboard Air Force One as he flew to Florida. "Then, they almost built something in 1902, but it never happened."

However, the news outlet refuted his statements, reporting that the eagles he referenced are, in reality, part of a bridge that connects Virginia and Washington and that was built decades after the Civil War. The outlet further added that the closest the country's capital came to having an arch was a "wood and plaster construction built in 1919 to mark the end of World War I — and even that was always meant to be temporary."

"For 200 years they've wanted to build an arc," Trump said, talking about an arch. "They have 57 cities throughout the world that have them. We're the only major city – Washington, D.C. – that doesn't."

Earlier this month, the president spoke enthusiastically about the arch on social media once again. He said that the structure will be "the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World. This will be a wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!"