Federal Review of Trump’s Triumphal Arch Design Scheduled
The design for the triumphal arch proposed by former President Donald Trump to be constructed at an entrance to the US Capitol is set for review and a possible vote on Thursday by the US Commission of Fine Arts, a key federal agency. This project is among several initiatives Trump is pursuing, including a White House ballroom, aimed at leaving a lasting legacy on Washington, D.C.
Trump expressed enthusiasm for the arch on social media, stating:
“The arch will be the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World” and a “wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!”
Additional Projects Under Review
Also on the agenda for the monthly meeting of the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose seven members were appointed by Trump during his presidency, is the plan to paint the gray granite exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, located adjacent to the White House, white.
A third project related to the White House involves the construction of an underground center designed to conduct security screenings for tourists and other visitors. All three projects— the arch, the building’s exterior paint, and the visitors’ security center—are scheduled for design plan reviews. While the White House visitors’ center was discussed at the commission’s March meeting, the arch and paint job will be reviewed for the first time during this session. It remains uncertain whether the commission will approve any of the projects on Thursday.
Oversight and Approval Process
In addition to the Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, a separate oversight panel, began its consideration of the visitors’ center last month and is expected to receive Trump’s arch design for review and an approval vote in the near future.
Details of the Triumphal Arch Design
The proposed arch would rise to a height of 250 feet (76 meters) from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure positioned atop the structure. The figure would be flanked by two eagles and guarded at the base by four gilded lions. Gold lettering would inscribe the phrases “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” on either side of the monument.
The arch is planned to be constructed on a man-made island managed by the National Park Service, located on the Virginia side of the Potomac River at the end of Memorial Bridge, opposite the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The proposed arch would significantly surpass the Lincoln Memorial in height, which stands at 99 feet (30 meters).
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented on the height of the arch on Wednesday, stating:
“The 250-ft height will honor the US’s 250 years of existence.”
Legal Challenges to the Project
The arch project is currently the subject of litigation. A group comprising veterans and a historian has filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block construction. The plaintiffs argue that the arch would disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery, among other concerns.
