April 16 (UPI) — The Commission of Fine Arts voted Thursday to OK President Donald Trump’s plan to build a 250-foot “victory arch” at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The arch will tower over Arlington National Cemetery and obstruct the view of the Lincoln Memorial.
The commission includes multiple Trump appointees, so the decision to approve was expected. The group advises the president, Congress and local governments on the aesthetics of construction within Washington, D.C.
The arch’s design is similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but it would be almost 100 feet taller. The architectural plans by Harrison Design show it topped with two eagles and a winged, crowned figure. On one side, it says “One Nation Under God,” and the other it says, “With Liberty and Justice for All.”
The plans are to build the arch in Memorial Circle on Columbia Island, a human-made island in the Potomac River between Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va. The island is run by the National Park Service.
“It’s going to be really beautiful. I think it’s going to be fantastic,” Trump told potential donors earlier this year.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Bergum told the CFA that the structure will embody “American freedom, American unity, American strength and the American dream.”
“Carefully designed, thoughtfully placed, such a structure will enrich Washington’s historic fabric, adding a new chapter to the infinitely rich history of our nation’s capital,” he said.
“Great nations build beautiful structures and works of art that cultivate national pride and love of country,” he added. “In this tradition, the United States Triumphal Arch will be a project of which all Americans will be proud of.”
It would be the largest such structure in the world, NPR reported. Its closest rivals would be the Monumento a la Revolución in Mexico City, which stands 220 feet high, and the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, North Korea (197 feet high).
At the commission meeting Thursday, Harrison Design’s lead architect Nicolas Charbonneau said the 250-foot height is a nod to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
Last week, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle wrote to NPR in an e-mail, “The Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world. It will enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250 year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today. President Trump will continue to honor our veterans and give the greatest Nation on earth — America — the glory it deserves.”
In February, a group of Vietnam War veterans filed suit to block the construction, arguing that Congressional approval is needed.
“A 250-foot structure is the equivalent of a 25-story office block. At 250 feet, the planned Arch will be roughly half the size of the Washington Monument (555 feet tall), more than double the size of the Lincoln Memorial (99 feet tall), and the largest monumental arch in the world,” the suit said.
The president plans “to construct the Arch prior to July 4, 2026, without securing Congressional approval or satisfying other procedural requirements. Doing so is in violation of the President’s duty to take care that the laws are faithfully executed and is ultra vires [beyond the powers],” the suit said.
Commission Secretary Thomas Luebke said about 1,000 public comments were submitted before the vote, and nearly all of them were negative.