Althouse: What does an arch mean? If Trump, fascism. If Mamdani, warmth and friendliness.

April 19, 2026

What does an arch mean? If Trump, fascism. If Mamdani, warmth and friendliness.

There was this, April 10th, in The Washington Post:

Today, we've got this in The New York Times:

89 comments:

Peachy said...: You mean - the Media(D) hates Trump?

such a revelation.; 4/19/26, 1:37 PM
Quayle said...: I will repeat again: the core malady is a thought process in which your self-image and sense of goodness is tied to being better than other people. That’s what drives this ridiculous behavior. the person you feel better than can never do anything well or right because that would threaten your self-esteem and you’re feeling of goodness. AKA pride.; 4/19/26, 1:41 PM
Aggie said...: Look at that arch sitting there, eating crackers like it owns the place.; 4/19/26, 1:43 PM
rehajm said...: An arch doesn’t reek of fascism, but if you succeed in tearing it down you can hit it with your shoe…; 4/19/26, 2:01 PM
Josephbleau said...: Every Arch is assigned a form of government at birth. Trumps Arch just unfortunately was born a Facist.; 4/19/26, 2:09 PM
bagoh20 said...: Arch De Trump; 4/19/26, 2:10 PM
Matt said...: I’m reminded of the meme from 2016 of the side by side headlines about Hillary’s white pantsuit at the DNC being a strong testament of empowerment or something and Melania’s white pantsuit at the RNC being all about white supremacy or something.; 4/19/26, 2:11 PM
bagoh20 said...: What if he makes two of them side by side with nipples.; 4/19/26, 2:11 PM
Lazarus said...: Don't much care for the projected arch. The angel and eagles are a little too kitschy. The quadriga on the top of the Brooklyn arch is a little too Brandenbergy and Germanic. Great spot though for a "Mister Mamdani, tear down this ________" speech.; 4/19/26, 2:12 PM
imTay said...: Traditionally Arches are to mark victories. My dad was in Paris at the close of WWII, and he said that the pilots were using the Eiffel Tower as a makeshift victory arch by flying under it. Of course I was probably eight years old when he told me this story, and he might have been funning me, but I don't think so. I know that he was in Paris then.

If not fascistic, they are definitely militaristic, both of the above arches, not the Eiffel Tower, that was a one off when everybody was in a partying mood.; 4/19/26, 2:17 PM
hombre said...: It’s remarkable that the leftmediaswine are confident that Democrats and other partakers of their obsession-driven, hyperbolic TDS drivel will continue to take them seriously. The tragedy is that they are correct.; 4/19/26, 2:23 PM
n.n said...: Fascism, socialism, communism, and other models of left-wing ideological governmental theory and practice.; 4/19/26, 2:30 PM
Enigma said...: This mainly reveals what's required to be a 'top reporter' at a 'world class newspaper.' Anyone at all can meet their quality standards.

When applying for a job, list your DEI grievance and say: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, I can toe the party line."; 4/19/26, 2:31 PM
Goldenpause said...: If Trump is for it, the left is against it. Trump knows this and takes advantage of it almost every chance he gets.; 4/19/26, 2:31 PM
hombre said...: The French would be surprised to learn that their Arc is a symbol of fascism. The country will never recover from the leftmedia playing fast and loose with facts and language.; 4/19/26, 2:47 PM
baghdadbob said...: NYers warm to Mamdani's new Brooklyn Plaza as a warmup to the "warmth of collectivism." Is it hot in here or is it me?; 4/19/26, 2:56 PM
Big Mike said...: hombre said...

The French would be surprised to learn that their Arc is a symbol of fascism.

Oh, I don’t know about that. I’ve seen old footage of the Wehrmacht marching beneath it.; 4/19/26, 3:02 PM
Big Mike said...: My big problem with the proposed arch is that the very last thing Washington, DC, needs is yet another monument. When is enough enough?; 4/19/26, 3:06 PM
bagoh20 said...: Not long ago we were honoring half-naked transsexuals on the Whitehouse lawn, while the President was calling half the country white supremacists and a nuclear official was stealing women's clothing at the airport. This is better.; 4/19/26, 3:41 PM
Maynard said...: If you factor in the poor attention span and weak literacy of GenX and GenZ voters, it makes perfect sense.; 4/19/26, 3:48 PM
Jim at said...: Yawn.
They couldn't be more tedious if they tried.; 4/19/26, 3:50 PM
Clyde said...: You don't want to get warm and friendly with Zohran Mamdani. The New York Mets' mascots (Mr. Met and Mrs. Met) gave him hugs 11 days ago and the team has not won a game since, losing ten games in a row through yesterday (Today's game is tied in the 10th inning). The Curse of the Mamdino is upon them; the Baseball Gods are capitalists to the core and are not mocked.; 4/19/26, 3:56 PM
Clyde said...: Update: The Cubs win 2-1 over the Mets in 10 innings, keeping the Mets winless over the last 11 games. Mamas, don't let your mascots grow up to hug commies!; 4/19/26, 4:06 PM
Larry J said...: Trump Derangement Syndrome either makes people stupid or simply reenforces the stupidity that already exists. The vast majority of the mainstream press has beclowned themselves to the point of total uselessness.; 4/19/26, 4:11 PM
Once written, twice... said...: This is what Ann’s right-wing commentariat wants to spend taxpayers' money on?

Got it.; 4/19/26, 4:17 PM
Jim at said...: This is what Ann’s right-wing commentariat wants to spend taxpayers' money on?

Got it.

Considering how much you leftists are bitching about the privately funded East Wing renovation, your thoughts on this project don't carry any weight.; 4/19/26, 4:36 PM
chuck said...: he might have been funning me

The most famous feat was an american P-51 that chased a Bf 109 under the arch and shot it down in the spring of 1944. There are reports of others flying under after Liberation, including a Mosquito.; 4/19/26, 4:46 PM
Dave64 said...: President Trump could discover a cure for cancer, perfect cold fusion and s*** gold bricks and the Left would find something wrong with it all!; 4/19/26, 4:47 PM
Maynard said...: I have never met a lefty who was not happy to spend government money (our money) on some ridiculous boondoggle. Unless, of course, it is something proposed by a Republican POTUS.; 4/19/26, 4:50 PM
Known Unknown said...: We used to build this type of stuff (mostly) non-controversially.; 4/19/26, 5:04 PM
imTay said...: I think that troll farms have something to do with the bloodthirsty commentariat.

But you know what? If it was only ten percent of Trump’s voters who did so because we believed his lies, he’s cooked. Netanyahu knows it and needs to get this war done while he’s still got the gullible lackey in control.; 4/19/26, 5:04 PM
gilbar said...: Dave64 said...
President Trump could discover a cure for cancer, perfect cold fusion and s*** gold bricks and the Left would find something wrong with it all!

so, let me get this straight?
That Darned Trump is going to:
a) put MILLIONS of doctors out of work..
b) DESTROY the wind energy market..
and
c) Seriously mess up our sewer treatment systems..

and YOU would act AS IF that was All a "good thing"?
you darn Trumpists!; 4/19/26, 5:08 PM
narciso said...: Good grief get a hold of yourself; 4/19/26, 5:15 PM
JAORE said...: Beauty is in the eye of the party affiliation.

Consistency is the bane of professional "journalists".; 4/19/26, 5:17 PM
Stephen said...: Althouse, this is a fun juxtaposition but misleading. Trump proposes a new massive Triumphal arch, for which there is no public demand, to glorify himself, in a style and setting that seem remote and inhuman. Mamdani is working with an arch that dates back a long way, dedicated to soldiers and sailors, and he is working with the area surrounding the arch and with the strong approval of local residents, to humanize that area by making it pedestrian friendly. How exactly does this show the left wing media bias you imply? Indeed, don't your own instincts tell you that the two situations are very different?; 4/19/26, 5:24 PM
Aggie said...: Did anybody actually look? I counted 29 pedestrian crosswalks in the immediate vicinity of the Grand Army Plaza. There are 6 major roads feeding into this roundabout, hub & spoke fashion, and a number of side streets as well. It's completely bounded by busy roads, I'm guessing with high traffic patterns. Maybe genius will impose a new fare collection service that's automatic, to pay for it - it wouldn't surprise me if it was on a sliding scale to ensure all the right people are paying their fair share (*wink-wink*).; 4/19/26, 5:38 PM
Aggie said...: Note: this is the Grand Army Plaza on Flatbush, by Prospect Park - not the one by Central Park.; 4/19/26, 5:40 PM
n.n said...: America fought to defeat Diversity, authoritarianism/collectivism, redistributive change schemes, political congruence, wicked solutions, etc.; 4/19/26, 5:47 PM
Wince said...: What does an arch mean? If Trump, fascism. If Mamdani, warmth and friendliness.

What’s an arch conservative like me supposed to do?; 4/19/26, 5:53 PM
lonejustice said...: The problem with arches is that they are normally identified with dictators and emperors, which Trump probably identifies with. Napoleon, Constantine, Titus, etc. We are a democratic republic. We don't need no fucking arches!; 4/19/26, 6:27 PM
Narr said...: I'm an admirer of Bonaparte in a lot of ways, but he was fairly fascistic before the term existed, and has been the model for a lot of later ones.

That said, the WWII monument in DC (which I have not seen UCAP) looks pretty fascistic too . . .; 4/19/26, 6:35 PM
Biff said...: It's hard to avoid rolling one's eyes at accusations of fascism these days. That said, I'm not a fan of Trump's proposed arch.

The largest triumphal arch in the world is the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Most of the criticisms of Trump's arch can be directed just as well at the French arc, and I don't mean that as a compliment to either. It's impressive, but it also overpowers the area. Trump's arch is around 1.5 times as large, and a little more than 3 times the size of the Brooklyn arch.

I don't think Trump's arch is fascist, but I do think it's in poor taste.

To be fair to the article about the Brooklyn arch, that arch is a nice example of the style, and it is in a location that is not the most accessible or pedestrian-friendly. The site could benefit from some rethinking, though I don't trust anyone in the Mamdani administration to rethink it in a way respectful of the veterans it is intended to memorialize.; 4/19/26, 6:35 PM
Achilles said...: Stephen said...

Althouse, this is a fun juxtaposition but misleading. Trump proposes a new massive Triumphal arch, for which there is no public demand, to glorify himself, in a style and setting that seem remote and inhuman.

The United States is freeing millions of people from oppression right now.

Most of the people in our country are proud of that. The only people who aren't are traitors and scum weasels who need to move to Europe.

Mamdani is working with an arch that dates back a long way, dedicated to soldiers and sailors, and he is working with the area surrounding the arch and with the strong approval of local residents, to humanize that area by making it pedestrian friendly. How exactly does this show the left wing media bias you imply? Indeed, don't your own instincts tell you that the two situations are very different?

Mamdani is destroying New York City with socialism and taking New York State down with it. Everyone who can is leaving democrat controlled areas.

When will you greedy violent thieving pieces of shit realize nobody likes you and you should move to Europe with people more like you?; 4/19/26, 6:43 PM
Mason G said...: "When will you greedy violent thieving pieces of shit realize nobody likes you and you should move to Europe with people more like you?"

Never. Because there are more (and better) targets for those greedy violent thieving pieces of shit here than there are in Europe.; 4/19/26, 6:52 PM
rhhardin said...: It means edifices.; 4/19/26, 6:57 PM
Howard said...: Oh, the humanity.; 4/19/26, 7:05 PM
Christopher B said...: lonejustice said...
The problem with arches is that they are normally identified with dictators and emperors, which Trump probably identifies with. Napoleon, Constantine, Titus, etc. We are a democratic republic. We don't need no fucking arches!

Hey, genius, guess what's about 5 hours drive south of you? (assuming you aren't lying out your ass about your back story); 4/19/26, 7:08 PM
mccullough said...: The U.S. fought to defeat Germany & Japan. The U.S. didn’t invade Spain. So this fight fascism is bullshit. After WW2, the U.S. fought communism in Korea and Vietnam and sanctioned Communist Cuba. The Cold War was against Communist Russia and its subsidiaries.

Why is it that Spain & Chile transitioned from fascism to democracy?

Antifa is Communism.

Let’s keep it straight; 4/19/26, 7:13 PM
Lazarus said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/19/26, 7:14 PM
Lazarus said...: It's not clear what the DC arch is supposed to commemorate. It's not "organic" in the sense of being an obvious response to an overwhelming event. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was that after WWI and subsequent wars. Same thing with the Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington. The Vietnam War Memorial fit that criterion as well. The WWII Memorial seemed not so much a natural response or satisfaction of a public demand, as rectifying an oversight and filling a space in the Capital and in its inventory of monuments. The new DC monument doesn't even do that. Rather than make more monuments, Don, achieve things that will make people build monuments to you.

If I recall correctly, there are underground pedestrian passages to the Arc de Triomphe. Maybe Brooklyn could use those. But don't count on Mamdani to bring them in on time or on schedule -- or at all.; 4/19/26, 7:15 PM
Peachy said...: Antifa is communism and Nazism - the democrap party's rage-fueled brownshirts.; 4/19/26, 7:18 PM
Peachy said...: Tim In Vermont - someday you will be voting for Mamdamni(D-communist) for the Islamic theocracy that you like so much.; 4/19/26, 7:21 PM
narciso said...: Mamdani is the form of their destroyer, like attila

So called antifa Were the commie militia who fought the nazis but also intimidated the social democrats

Some people are so ignorant of their history i cant even comprehend it; 4/19/26, 7:24 PM
narciso said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/19/26, 7:24 PM
Peachy said...: 3:41 Bagoh -
It's funny how they don't seem to recall that insanity.; 4/19/26, 7:26 PM
mccullough said...: Nazism was a form of fascism (private industry controlled by the government along with government severe restrictions of individual rights) with Hitler’s Aryanism and Eugenics. Nazis wanted to liquidate all Jews, Slavs, Gypsies and all Disabled & Gay.

Spanish Fascism didn’t have any Aryanism. It also didn’t ban Catholicism.

Argentinian Fascism didn’t have any Aryanism.

Fascists want to kill Communists.; 4/19/26, 7:27 PM
mccullough said...: Mamdani is a Muslim Communist. Twist on garden variety communism, which bans all religion. Under Mamdani and his prudent, Islam will be the only religion permitted.; 4/19/26, 7:29 PM
Mason G said...: "Under Mamdani and his prudent, Islam will be the only religion permitted."

So- masks required then, at least for women?; 4/19/26, 7:34 PM
Narr said...: I must say that Trump's design is an ugly one.; 4/19/26, 7:35 PM
Aggie said...: I just find the whole thing absurd. Grand Army Plaza is maybe two acres total, in an oval shape surrounded by 4 lanes of heavy traffic. It has an arch and a fountain. On the other side of the traffic is a paved area where they have their weekend Farmer's Market, at the north end of Prospect Park. Why would anybody want to go to the plaza, when there's a huge park right next to it? To listen to traffic?

Maybe Mamdani will convert the arch to a city-run convenience store, where pedestrians can pick up some chips and a slurpee.; 4/19/26, 7:35 PM
Fritz said...: Maybe Gavin should rename his failed elevated rail line an arch dedicated to wokeness.; 4/19/26, 7:37 PM
Big Mike said...: @Biff, I think we see eye to eye.; 4/19/26, 7:38 PM
mccullough said...: Mamdani’s wife doesn’t wear a burka or hijab. Yet. When the Islamists take over they are going to kill Mamdani for his watered down version of Islam.; 4/19/26, 7:47 PM
narciso said...: Its a very classical design whats the problem; 4/19/26, 7:48 PM
Ampersand said...: If there is no clear consensus on the thing that the arch is memorializing, it shouldn't be built. On trips to DC. I get the sense that we have more and more memorials commemorating less and less.; 4/19/26, 7:50 PM
narciso said...: Hes a uganda twelver shia which is a narrow idi amin was decidedly wahabbi in his final years; 4/19/26, 7:54 PM
narciso said...: Nationalists often expelled the indians from arabia and sub saharan africa; 4/19/26, 7:55 PM
Rocco said...: Josephbleau said...
“Every Arch is assigned a form of government at birth. Trumps Arch just unfortunately was born a Fascist.”

But what if the arch identifies as Constitutional Republic?; 4/19/26, 7:56 PM
narciso said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/19/26, 7:56 PM
narciso said...: Commonwealth; 4/19/26, 7:57 PM
Narr said...: I don't like the big figures on top, and the whole thing just seems ungainly to my eye.; 4/19/26, 7:58 PM
narciso said...: Admittedly we havent had many victories since 1945; 4/19/26, 8:01 PM
Maynard said...: Mamdani is just like Bernie - a huckster who doesn't believe his own bullshit.; 4/19/26, 9:36 PM
Prof. M. Drout said...: It's like the left hand doesn't know what the far left hand is doing.; 4/19/26, 9:37 PM
Kurt Schuler said...: Stephen's comment is right on target. The difference is between an arch been long in place, whatever you think of its aesthetics, and a proposed arch. I have been a resident both of Brooklyn and of Arlington, Virginia. The Brooklyn arch is to my taste over-ornamented, but its proportions are reasonable in the context of its surroundings. Trump's proposed arch would be a hulking, tacky addition to an area already overstuffed with monuments. That's why in the public comment period it did not receive a single favorable comment.

Achilles's angry and incoherent reaction to Stephen would be a parody of Internet commenting were it not evidently sincere.; 4/19/26, 9:46 PM
Iman said...: “That's why in the public comment period it did not receive a single favorable comment.”

That’s likely due to the legion of d-bags that line up to express their moronic hate of our POTUS.; 4/19/26, 9:54 PM
Yancey Ward said...: It is the difference between a triumphant arch of capitalism vs a triumphant arch of communism. The two newspapers know which side they are on.; 4/19/26, 10:08 PM
Aggie said...: I share the opinion that the Arc d'Trumpf is an overwrought, oversized, garishly decorated ornament. I think Trump's stated purpose was as a grand entrance to Arlington, dedicated to the memory of service and sacrifice of American soldiers. I suspect it won't be built, and I suspect its real purpose is to distract the hysterics' attention and keep them occupied so they're less of a hassle on getting the ballroom done.; 4/19/26, 10:13 PM
Little Excursion™️ said...: Sure, crime rates are way down in New York, but Mamdani promised New Yorkers full communism on day one and so far he’s been nothing but another neoliberal shill.; 4/19/26, 10:20 PM
Maynard said...: Little E/Chuck sounds disappointed in Comrade Mammie,; 4/19/26, 11:28 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Trump needs to sign an executive order condemning Hitler. I can’t believe out of all the people who have direct unfettered access to him, none have suggested it. Hitler is a continuous bedevilment to our president. I’m just saying.; 4/20/26, 3:09 AM
Dave said...: They got the golden arches. We got the golden arcs.
Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djI_ret3S9g; 4/20/26, 3:34 AM
boatbuilder said...: Althouse, this is a fun juxtaposition but misleading. Trump proposes a new massive Triumphal arch, for which there is no public demand, to glorify himself, in a style and setting that seem remote and inhuman. Mamdani is working with an arch that dates back a long way, dedicated to soldiers and sailors, and he is working with the area surrounding the arch and with the strong approval of local residents, to humanize that area by making it pedestrian friendly. How exactly does this show the left wing media bias you imply? Indeed, don't your own instincts tell you that the two situations are very different?

Sure, Stephen--"the residents" of Brooklyn are just clamoring for Mamdami to shut down a major roadway and build a massive arch with all of the extra money that the city is swimming in these days.

Which is totally different from what Trump is proposing, because Trump is a poopyhead.

Says the NYT.

And you buy it. Hook, line and sinker.; 4/20/26, 6:34 AM
boatbuilder said...: Here is a non-fascist arch.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldiers_and_Sailors_Memorial_Arch

I can attest that nobody really pays much attention to it, even though it is right in the center of the city.

Seems like both proposed arches are foolish boondoggles.; 4/20/26, 6:43 AM
Balfegor said...: This is supposed to go in the roundabout at the western end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, right? The bridge whose sides are adorned with carvings of eagles gripping fasces? Whose western end is currently anchored by tall pillars topped with eagles carved in the stern, stark, simplified style of the 1930s. The proposed French-style triumphal arch is not notably more fascist than the existing aesthetic of the site.; 4/20/26, 7:21 AM
Sweetie said...: You draw a circle around the Prospect Park area and you get how many Mandami campaign contributors? Asking because it's obvious the NYT's has no idea and doesn't care if the mayor is running a quid pro quo.; 4/20/26, 8:00 AM
Rustygrommet said...: Stephen 9:24
Nothing proposed and built by the FDR administration was demanded by the people. Try another tac.; 4/20/26, 9:35 AM
Gary Rosen said...: I thought an arch meant hamburgers.; 4/20/26, 10:52 AM
JAORE said...: In trips to Washington D.C. I have seen multiple war memorials. The Vietnam Wall, denigrated in the planning phase, is powerful. I went to the Korean Memorial with bronze soldiers crossing the land as a fog rolled in. Extremely moving.
Then there is the WWII memorial. My Dad's war. I found it excessive, gaudy and lacking visceral impact.
Image that, Trump must have time traveled back to the planning stages of that memorial. /sarc; 4/20/26, 11:15 AM