The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts has given its approval to the design for a triumphal arch that President Donald Trump seeks to erect at a gateway to the nation's capital. The decision, made by commissioners all appointed by Trump, came despite overwhelming public opposition, marking a significant step forward for the controversial project.
Project Details
This proposed arch is one of several initiatives the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting imprint on Washington, D.C., alongside plans for a White House ballroom. Trump has stated that some of his other projects, such as adding a blue coating to the interior of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, are intended to beautify the city in time for America's 250th birthday celebrations on July 4. The concept for the arch had previously received approval at the commission's monthly meeting in April.
As presented to the federal agency, the arch would soar 250 feet (76 meters) from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure atop the structure. This statue would be flanked by two eagles and guarded at its base by four gilded lions. Inscriptions of "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice for All" would be emblazoned in gold lettering on either side of the monument, which would also feature a public observation deck offering 360-degree views.
Criticism and Opposition
However, the project has faced considerable criticism. James McCrery II, the commission’s vice chairman and an architect, expressed a preference in April for the arch without the figures, noting their removal would reduce its height by approximately 80 feet (24.4 meters). Critics, including a vast majority of those who submitted public comments in April, argue the arch would be taller than any other monument in the capital, dominating the skyline. At 250 feet, it would dwarf the 99-foot (30 meters) Lincoln Memorial and approach half the height of the 555-foot (169 meters) Washington Monument. McCrery also objected to the inclusion of lions, citing that the animal is "not a beast natural to the North American continent," and opposed plans for an underground pedestrian tunnel to access the arch, which is slated for a traffic circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Legal Challenges
Preliminary site surveys and testing commenced last week. The Trump administration is currently facing a federal lawsuit filed by a group of veterans and a historian, seeking to block construction on grounds that the arch would disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery, among other concerns. Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have defended the project, asserting that Washington is unique among major Western capitals in lacking such an arch. Burgum’s department oversees the National Park Service, which manages the proposed site.
Separately, the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is also the subject of a court challenge by The Cultural Landscape Foundation. The nonprofit alleges that the administration’s decision to repaint the pool’s bottom blue without proper reviews violated federal preservation laws governing historic sites. A lawsuit filed last week by the group contends that these changes are part of Trump’s broader effort to push through dramatic renovations in Washington without adequate oversight, thereby undermining the area's historical tone. A hearing in this case was scheduled for Thursday afternoon in federal court in Washington.
