Trump Admits He's Building His Own Monuments 'Because Nobody Will' Once He Leaves the White House

President Donald Trump has admitted he is building grand monuments across Washington for himself, telling New York Magazine that 'nobody will do it once I'm gone' as crews prepare to break ground on a 250-foot (76.2-metre) triumphal arch near Arlington.

Trump did not dispute that the projects amount to monuments to himself when New York Magazine raised them in a recent interview. 'That's true,' he said. 'Nobody will do it once I'm gone. When I leave here, nobody will.'

The remark ties his second-term building spree directly to his legacy, a theme allies have pushed for months.

'Nobody Will Do It Once I'm Gone'

Trump has thrown himself into construction at the White House and beyond, with the triumphal arch and a new ballroom as his signature projects. The arch, a 250-foot structure loosely modelled on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, is planned near Arlington National Cemetery to mark the nation's 250th anniversary. The administration is set to break ground in the coming weeks.

A source close to Trump told CNN in May that the buildings, not the policies, would define him. 'The one thing they can't tear down will be the East Wing. That is his lasting impact,' the source said.

A $300 Million Ballroom and a Demolished East Wing

The ballroom sits at the centre of the effort. Trump has said the 90,000-square-foot (8,361.3 square-metre) hall will cost $300 million (£224 million), up from an initial $200 million (£149 million), and that private donors and he will cover the bill, although he has not released full financing details. Crews demolished the White House's East Wing in October 2025 to make room for it.

He has defended the project as a security upgrade, citing plans for a drone port on the roof, an underground bunker, and bulletproof windows. 'The people should be thankful,' he told New York Magazine.

Questions Over Cost and Authority

Critics have challenged the price, the scale, and whether the executive branch can push ahead alone. The proposed arch dwarfs its surroundings. The White House stands about 70 feet (21.336 metres) tall and the Lincoln Memorial roughly 100 feet (30.48 metres) against the arch's planned 250 feet.

Some congressional Republicans and Trump advisers have privately warned that fixation on the ballroom could hurt the party's midterm chances and muddle its message, New York Magazine reported. Democrats have condemned the teardown as a costly vanity project at a time when many Americans are squeezed by high living costs.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a body Congress created, urged Trump to pause the ballroom plans.

What It Means for Washington

The disputes are not abstract. The projects are reshaping public space in the capital that millions of Americans visit each year, raising questions about who pays and who decides.

Trump has framed the arch as a tribute to American history and military service. He appears unmoved by the criticism. 'A lot of people said, don't do this interview. But I'm proud of the work I'm doing,' he said.

Whether the structures outlast his presidency, as his allies predict, will not be clear for years. For now, the president is betting concrete and steel will speak louder than any successor.