Federal Panel Approves Designs for Trump’s 250-Foot Triumphal Arch

U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved designs for President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch on Thursday. The monument would be built on Columbia Island at Memorial Circle on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The arch would rise 250 feet from its base to a torch-bearing figure resembling Lady Liberty at its top, with two gold-colored eagles flanking the statue.

“One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” would be inscribed in gold lettering on either side of the monument. Plans include a public observation deck offering views of the surrounding area and other monuments. The updated design eliminates four gold lions that had previously adorned the lower sides of the structure, as well as an 8-foot base featured in earlier renderings.

The Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were fully appointed by Trump, approved the proposal despite criticism from Democratic lawmakers and preservation advocates. The panel has an advisory role on the design of the project but no enforcement power.

Next month, the proposed design is set to be reviewed by the National Capital Planning Commission, another federal panel that oversees planning for federal buildings and land.

““Washington is not a static city. S. ” Earlier this year, a group of military veterans and historic preservationists sued to stop construction of the arch, arguing that the structure had not received congressional approval and would disrupt the experience of visiting Arlington National Cemetery. In April, a White House official said the arch’s estimated cost was “still being calculated” and would be released in the near future. ” The Trump administration has argued in legal filings that it has the authority to build the arch. S. Capitol’s national mall.”