Yellow Sludge Drips from Trump’s Shoddy Victory Arch at State Fair
The Great American State Fair is in chaos, with President Donald Trump’s replica victory arch falling apart, literally oozing yellow goo from its seams.
A plywood model, installed at the National Mall, leaked thick globs of yellow spray foam or some other building material. A video on X captured the grotesque sight, racking up over 700,000 views and igniting a firestorm of comments.
“Tacky Temu just like everything he is involved in,” one user blasted, while another quipped: “Ancient Romans would be laughing their a**** off.”
“Must be the vandals again,” another user chimed in, mocking Trump’s claims that “disgraceful vandalism” caused algae blooms and peeling paint at the Reflecting Pool.
One commenter impersonated Trump’s style, saying: “We love the ooze don’t we folks?”
The miniature mock-up, meant to promote a proposed 250-foot victory arch along the Potomac, has already been ridiculed for its cheap appearance. Initially unveiled, it looked sparse and lacked the ornate details promised in design plans.
Architectural features that appeared three-dimensional from afar were revealed to be printed sheets stapled to the surface. The wood structure warped in the heat, causing the surface to stretch and peel.
“This whole thing looks incredibly amateur and slipshod. Architecturally it looks Mussolini Modern made out cardboard and crazy glue,” one critic stated last month. Another added: “It’s worse than I imagined.”
Matthew Yglesias, a political blogger, shared a photo of the model alongside the infamous “unfinished horse drawing” meme, highlighting its rushed and poor quality.
Despite the backlash, some users defended the arch. One with a Trump-themed profile photo remarked: “You were expecting marble construction for a temporary display? The TDS is strong.”
Recently, workers added Corinthian-style columns and molding to the arch’s facade in a desperate attempt to salvage it.
The group organizing the fair, Freedom 250, has been contacted for comment.
This weekslong extravaganza celebrating America’s 250th anniversary has faced relentless setbacks even before it began.
In May, nearly every musical act scheduled to perform pulled out, citing political associations. The following month, several blue states, including Washington and Oregon, announced they would not participate.
After Trump opened the fair on June 24 with a campaign-style speech, he reportedly became “enraged” upon seeing photos of large empty areas on the lawn.
He later claimed the event was “packed to the brim” with “at least 45,000 people.” NBC News estimated “more than 1,000” attendees showed up, while The Washington Post described the crowd as “smaller than some summer outdoor movie screenings.”
Following opening day, issues persisted: a power outage melted ice cream, state booths appeared sparsely stocked, and one musical performance drew attention for its minuscule audience—band members seemingly outnumbered attendees.
Photos and videos from the fair, featuring a Ferris wheel and food hall, showed thin crowds throughout the week.
Trump has nonetheless touted the fair—a public-private partnership he initiated—as a resounding success.
“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 posted on Truth Social on June 29. “Ask yourself this simple question, ‘DO YOU THINK THAT OBUMA OR SLEEPY JOE BIDEN COULD HAVE DONE IT?’ THE ANSWER IS NO!”
