As debate over attendance figures at President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair continues along party lines, new discourse surrounding one of the event’s most high-profile attractions has emerged.
A miniature version of Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch ― widely nicknamed the “Arc de Trump” ― displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., appears to have undergone a refurbishment following its debut last week.
The updates seemingly took place shortly after journalist Amanda Moore posted footage to X last Sunday showing what appeared to be the model’s plywood construction and a wrinkling layer of white vinyl that had begun separating from the structure.
A similar video, shared to X by former CNN journalist Jim Acosta, highlighted the large gaps between the bottom of the podiums and the ground below.
On Wednesday, Moore shared a second video of the arch filmed after its apparent renovation. Whether the results represent any sort of improvement, however, is questionable.
As the clip shows, Corinthian-style columns were added to the arch’s facade. Close-ups, however, reveal a yellow, viscous material ― believed to be polyurethane expanding foam, which is used to fill cracks ― oozing out of the structure.
Not surprisingly, the latest video and related images have drawn a fair amount of online snark.
“Quality work! Just like the Reflecting Pool,” one person wrote on X, alluding to the ongoing controversy over Trump’s $14.7 million renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Added another: “Apparently this is a work in progress now. Did they add the columns in the middle of the night?”
JS reached out to representatives for Freedom 250, which organized the Great American State Fair, for comment on the arch’s current state but did not immediately hear back.
A spokesperson for the group, however, told The Daily Beast that the model is “just a replica” of the Triumphal Arch and urged the outlet to “maybe try celebrating the 250th anniversary and stop writing nonsense articles.”
“The event features everyone from deep blue California and New York to purple states like Colorado, Wisconsin, Arizona, Michigan, Virginia, to red ones,” the spokesperson continued. “Cover real news.”
As for Trump himself, the president has been on the defensive amid widespread scrutiny over the Great American State Fair, which is meant to honor America’s 250th anniversary and runs through July 10.
Immediately after the fair’s June 24 kickoff, Trump boasted on Truth Social that “at least 45,000 people” were in attendance for his opening night speech ― a figure disputed by NBC News and The Washington Post, among other outlets.
On Monday, he congratulated himself yet again.
“Do you think people appreciate what a fantastic job we did in building and operating the Great American State Fair at the National Mall, packed with happy people, and everybody loving it?” he wrote on Truth Social. “Ask yourself this simple question: ‘DO YOU THINK THAT OBUMA OR SLEEPY JOE BIDEN COULD HAVE DONE IT?” THE ANSWER IS NO!’”