ToplineThe Trump administration released new images on Friday of the triumphal arch the president wants to build in Washington, D.C., featuring the inscription “One Nation Under God,” gold lions and a statue of a winged Lady Liberty. A rendering of the Triumphal Arch President Donald Trump wants to build in Washington's Memorial Circle.Harrison DesignKey FactsThe 250-foot statue includes gold ornamentation, two gold eagles flanking Lady Liberty and a staircase leading to the opening of the arch, and was designed by Harrison Design, an architecture firm with offices in six cities, including Washington, D.C. The inscription “Liberty and Justice For All” is on the opposite side of the arch from “One Nation Under God.”Trump wants to build the arch at Memorial Circle, a traffic roundabout on Columbia Island at the end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S.The arch would be taller than both the Lincoln Memorial, which is 100 feet high, and Paris’s Arc de Triomphe—Trump told reporters in January he would “like it to be the biggest one of all,” adding, “we’re the biggest, most powerful nation.”There are multiple legal challenges seeking to block the arch from being built, including from a group of Vietnam War veterans who sued in February, calling the arch a “vanity project” that would alter the sanctity of the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, which is a short distance from the arch site.Trump dismissed the veterans’ concerns earlier this week, telling reporters “you got to be kidding . . . our veterans are the ones that should like it.”What We Don’t KnowThe cost of the project.What To Watch ForThe Commission of Fine Arts, an independent agency that reviews renderings for federal buildings, will review Trump’s arch proposal at a meeting Thursday. Trump fired all six members of the commission last year and replaced them with his own appointees. It’s unclear if the arch would be subject to the Commemorative Works Act, which requires approval from Congress and a long and arduous review process.Key BackgroundTrump has made numerous aesthetic changes to Washington, D.C. in his second term, including leveling the East Wing of the White House to construct a ballroom and paving over the iconic Rose Garden lawn. A federal judge halted the ballroom project last month, siding with a historic preservation group. The Trump administration has appealed the ruling.Further ReadingWhat to Know About Trump’s Plan for a Triumphal Arch (New York Times)Trump officials unveil designs for president’s controversial 250-foot arch (Washington Post)Demolished East Wing, paved Rose Garden, proposed arch: How Trump is leaving his mark on Washington (ABC)
Trump Wants To Build An Arch In D.C.—Here’s What It Would Look Like
The arch features the text, “One Nation Under God,” and includes statues of Lady Liberty and gold lions at the base.









