The Trump administration has unveiled plans to construct a triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., a proposal that has drawn sharp criticism from historians, architects, and political opponents who view it as an unprecedented use of federal resources for political messaging. NPR's Steve Inskeep sits down with New York Times reporter Emily Badger to unpack the details of the project, the legal and logistical questions it raises, and why the arch has become a flashpoint in a broader debate over the administration's approach to public space and national symbolism. The conversation also touches on the arch's echoes of imperial and authoritarian architecture, and what its construction — or cancellation — could signal about the administration's long-term ambitions for its legacy.
NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with New York Times reporter Emily Badger about the Trump administration's plans to move forward with construction of a triumphal arch.
