A panel of Donald Trump appointees has approved a revised design for a 250-foot arch on the Potomac River. The project continues to advance despite near-unanimous public opposition and unresolved legal challenges.
Thursday’s vote by the Commission of Fine Arts clears a hurdle for the triumphal arch, which the president has personally directed as part of a wider effort to reshape the capital’s monumental core. The modified plan scraps a platform and tunnel originally included in the concept, while retaining the large golden sculptures Trump explicitly requested. Granite will form the exterior stone.
Donald Trump appointees approve design for 250-foot arch
The commission, filled earlier this year with Trump selections, endorsed the updated vision after a brief debate. One member had previously raised doubts about a 60-foot gilded Statue of Liberty flanked by eagles atop the structure. Nicolas Charbonneau, the project’s designer, told the panel that Trump considered but dismissed that objection.
The arch would rise 166 feet before the statue adds height, making it a dominant feature along the Virginia bank of the river. It sits within Memorial Circle, directly across from the Lincoln Memorial and near Arlington National Cemetery. Commissioners said the arch fits a long-established vision for memorials at the traffic circle. They did, however, require that any future statues added to niches along the facade come back for review.
The structure is one of several Trump administration projects remaking federal Washington. Others include Lafayette Park renovations, a planned “heroes” garden, and repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Democratic lawmakers have accused the administration of side-stepping required reviews and failing to secure congressional authorization.
Furthermore, funding is also unsettled. Donald Trump has suggested leftover private donations from his $400 million ballroom project could pay for the 250-foot arch. While the National Endowment for the Humanities has indicated it will redirect money toward construction.
The approval came despite overwhelming public resistance. Before the May meeting, the commission logged roughly 600 comments, more than 99% in opposition. The arch still requires approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which is scheduled for June 4 (via Politico).
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
