Trump Arch Plan Advances Near Arlington
A federal design commission has approved an updated proposal for President Donald Trump’s planned triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, advancing a project that continues to spark political and public debate.
The revised concept, reviewed Thursday by the Commission of Fine Arts, keeps the overall vision of the 250-foot monument while making several design changes. Plans for an observation platform beneath the structure and tunnel access were removed. However, designers retained large gold-colored sculptures atop the arch at Trump’s request and confirmed granite as the primary exterior material.
The monument, designed by Nicolas Charbonneau, would rise about 166 feet without its decorative statuary and is intended as part of broader efforts to reshape parts of Washington ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Other projects linked to the administration include work in Lafayette Park, improvements to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and a proposed national “heroes” garden.
During earlier reviews, some commissioners questioned aspects of the design, including a planned 60-foot figure of Lady Liberty accompanied by eagles. Charbonneau said Trump considered revising that feature but ultimately chose to keep it.
Supporters on the commission argued the proposal fits within long-standing ideas for memorial development at Memorial Circle, located at the Virginia entrance to Memorial Bridge across from the Lincoln Memorial. Commissioners approved the general design but requested another review if additional statues are added to niches along the arch’s facade.
Vice Chair James McCrery described the project as part of a historical tradition of monument building in the area and emphasized the need for improvements at Memorial Circle. Commission Chair Rodney Mims Cook Jr. echoed that view, saying Washington’s landscape has evolved over time and linking the proposal to broader efforts to mark the Declaration of Independence anniversary.
Questions remain over both funding and legal approval. Trump has suggested using remaining private donations from another planned project, a $400 million ballroom, while the National Endowment for the Humanities has indicated it may redirect funding toward the monument.
Critics, particularly Democratic lawmakers and preservation advocates, argue the administration is moving ahead too quickly and may be bypassing established review procedures and congressional authorization requirements. Preservation groups contend that laws governing commemorative projects and historic sites require additional approvals before construction can proceed.
Elizabeth Merritt of the National Trust for Historic Preservation argued the monument would disrupt the historic visual relationship between the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington House, and Arlington National Cemetery. She said the scale and placement of the arch could overshadow the cemetery and conflict with the site’s solemn atmosphere.
Public opposition has also been substantial. According to commission officials, roughly 600 comments submitted ahead of the May meeting were overwhelmingly against the proposal, continuing a trend seen earlier when more than 1,000 comments reportedly opposed the project.
The proposal includes pedestrian access controlled by two traffic signals. Meanwhile, legal challenges continue. A veterans organization has filed suit claiming congressional approval is necessary, and a federal judge previously barred the National Park Service from beginning construction without advance notice.
Preliminary site studies are already underway. Charbonneau said recent soil borings found bedrock roughly 70 feet below the surface.
The project still requires approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which is scheduled to review the proposal at its June 4 meeting.
