Federal Commission Approves Design for Trump's 250-Foot Washington Arch

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday approved the design for the triumphal arch that President Donald Trump wants built at an entrance to the nation's capital, a key step in the project's process but one that has no immediate bearing on the timeline for construction. Commissioners, all appointed by Trump, acted despite overwhelming public opposition to the 250-foot arch, one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing alongside a White House ballroom to leave his imprint on Washington.

At the White House, Trump told reporters he thought the vote was "fantastic" adding that "we're the only important and major city that doesn't have one." Trump also responded to a report of the approval by saying, "I finally get good news from you!" When asked whether congressional approval was needed for construction, the president insisted it was unnecessary: "No, we don't. No, no, we're doing it. The land is owned by the Interior Department. We don't need anything from Congress. So, we're building what's called the Triumphal Arch, right opposite the Arlington Memorial Bridge, right by Arlington Cemetery. It's beautiful."

The commission only oversees designs and has no role in the actual construction or funding of the arch or any other project it considers. Preliminary surveys and testing of the arch site began last week. The National Capital Planning Commission, a separate federal agency that approves construction on federal land, has the arch on the agenda at its June meeting. Trump had said last year that the arch could be paid for with private donations left over from the ballroom project. A cost estimate for the arch is still being calculated, but a mix of taxpayer and private money is expected to be used to pay for it, according to a White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the president has not publicly discussed the project's cost.

The arch would stand 250 feet tall (76 meters) from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure on top of the structure, flanked by two gilded eagles. But four lions envisioned as guarding the base were removed. The phrases "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice for All" would be inscribed in gold lettering atop either side of the monument. A public observation deck on top would provide 360-degree views of the region. The arch would have an exterior made of granite. It would be more than twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial, which is 99 feet (30 meters) tall, and close to half the height of the Washington Monument, at about 555 feet (169 meters) tall.

"The building is beautiful," said the commission's chairman, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., shortly before the vote on the slightly revised design. Commissioners had suggested several changes when they first reviewed the design in April. Some were made by the Harrison Design architecture firm and approved on Thursday. The commission's vice chairperson, architect James McCrery II, said in April that he preferred the arch without the figures on top, which would have reduced the height by about 80 feet (24.4 meters). Nicolas Charbonneau, a director at Harrison Design, told commissioners that Trump considered their recommendation to remove the statue "but elected not to pursue such an option" because he wants the arch to celebrate America and the living. "This makes it distinct from monuments like the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials," Charbonneau said. McCrery had also recommended nixing the ground-level lion statues along with an underground tunnel for pedestrians to get to the arch, which would be built on a busy traffic circle. The design approved Thursday has no lions and incorporates pedestrian crosswalks. A platform the arch would have been built on also has been removed.

Ten people who testified Thursday, including on behalf of organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the DC Preservation League, opposed the arch on grounds that it is too big. They said the project needed to be approved by Congress because it would be built on federal land and that it would disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery that was created to symbolize reunification after the Civil War. A group of Vietnam War veterans and a historian have sued the Trump administration in federal court to block the arch construction over concerns about disruptions to the sightline. Despite the arguments by preservationists, historians and others, Trump asserted Thursday that he does not need Congress to approve the arch because he's building it on federal land. He has also said he doesn't need Congress to approve the ballroom addition at the White House. Cook pushed back after listening to the testimony and noted the limitations of building anything new on the National Mall: "Washington is not a static city. It must grow." In a statement issued after the meeting, the National Trust urged the National Park Service to begin consultations it says are required under the National Historic Preservation Act.

Another project drawing scrutiny is Trump's proposal to add a blue coating to the interior of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which he wants completed by July 4 for America's 250th birthday. The Cultural Landscape Foundation filed a lawsuit arguing the project would unlawfully alter a historic national landmark without the required preservation review. "The Reflecting Pool is not simply a body of water, but a carefully designed cultural landscape," the filing argues.