Trump International Hotel opened in a soft launch this week, inside the historic Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C.
The building, which the Trump Organization signed a long-term lease on in 2013, stands at an impressive 315 feet high, the fourth-tallest structure in the nation’s capital.
That’s even taller than the Capitol building, perhaps symbolic of the way Donald Trump has cast a shadow over Republicans who control Congress. Many felt compelled to endorse Trump out of party loyalty and now find themselves forced to disagree with Trump’s controversial comments without condemning their candidate.
Thanks to Trump’s ego, it’s clear he has an obsession with being the biggest, best and tallest. This is the man who bragged about how The Trump Building (not to be confused with Trump Tower) became the tallest building in lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001.
In other cities, Trump might be able to simply buy or build the tallest buildings. But thanks to the city’s height restrictions, he’ll never tower over Washington no matter how hard he tries.
At 329 feet, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception outstands Trump’s hotel.
It’s the largest Roman Catholic church in North America and attracts nearly 1 million visitors every year. The shrine is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, who is the principal patroness of the United States.
Win or lose, Trump will never be taller than the city’s shrine to the virgin Mary.
At 555 feet, the Washington Monument will forever outstand Trump’s hotel.
George Washington wasn’t just the country’s first president, he was arguably its greatest. He was beloved by the country, but humble Washington made sure to set presidential precedents different from the majesty of Europe’s monarchs. He could have held the power of the presidency longer if he wanted, but declined to do so. Does that sound like something Trump would do?
Win or lose, Trump will never stand taller than the country’s monument to the first president.
At 761 feet, the Hughes Memorial Tower stands almost two-and-a-half times taller than Trump’s hotel.
Never heard of it? If you ever get the chance to look over Washington’s skyline from Arlington, Va., at night, it’s the radio tower lit up like the Eiffel Tower, standing west of the National Cathedral and Georgetown. In the daylight, if you tilt your head, you might notice the Jesus fish in the structure’s metal design.
Apparently, John Hughes was the assistant chief of the Technical Services Bureau in the city’s police department in 1978. He called for the department to fully integrate “radio, telephone, teletype and computer systems,” which the tower helped accomplish starting in 1989.
According to a 2014 Washington Post article, the tower “handles voice and wireless communications for public safety agencies: police, fire, EMS and the like.”
Win or lose, the height of Trump’s hotel pales in comparison to the Hughes Memorial Tower.
If Trump loses to Hillary Clinton, at least he’ll have this consolation: His hotel is 4.5 times taller than the White House.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
