A massive monument touted by President Donald Trump just moved one step closer to rising on the banks of the Potomac River. The President wants the arch to be a welcome monument at the entrance of the capital. Federal regulators gave the proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch in Washington its first official review on March 16.
Donald Trump’s triumphal arch getting closer to being approved
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts voted to approve Donald Trump‘s triumphal arch, clearing an early hurdle for the project. Commissioners did not give the plan a total green light, though. One member suggested dialing back the height by removing the Lady Liberty-like statue and the pair of eagles perched on top. Under the current renderings, those gilded figures push the monument to a towering 250 feet. This number, the White House says, honors the country’s 250th anniversary (via The Guardian).
The seven commissioners, all appointed by the president, plan to review a revised version of the design before taking a final vote later. The arch still needs approval from the National Capital Planning Commission before shovels hit the dirt. Trump described the monument on social media as “the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World.” He called it a “wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area.”
The structure would sit on an island managed by the National Park Service on the Virginia side of the river. Its 250-foot frame would easily overshadow the Lincoln Memorial, which stands just 99 feet tall. Design details include four gilded lions guarding the base and gold inscriptions reading “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All.”
Not everyone welcomes the plan. A group of veterans and a historian have sued in federal court to prevent construction. They argue the arch would wreck the historic sightline connecting the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
