The proposed “Arc de Trump,” officially titled the United States Triumphal Arch, has moved a major step closer to construction after receiving approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts in Washington DC. Planned as a monumental centerpiece for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, the 250-foot-tall structure is set to rise near Arlington National Cemetery at Memorial Circle, directly aligned with the Arlington Memorial Bridge and the Lincoln Memorial. The proposal was approved by the Trump-appointed commission despite overwhelming public opposition and ongoing legal challenges.
Designed by Harrison Design, the revised proposal removes the previously criticized golden lion sculptures and underground pedestrian tunnel, while retaining a monumental classical language inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe. Updated renderings show a 60-foot gilded Lady Liberty-like figure with wings spread atop the arch, flanked by two large golden eagles and inscriptions reading “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All.” The structure would also include an elevator-accessible public observation deck with panoramic views across Washington DC. Trump administration officials describe the project as a symbolic tribute to 250 years of American independence and military sacrifice.
At 250 feet tall, the arch would tower over the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and become one of the tallest triumphal arches in the world, surpassing Paris’s Arc de Triomphe in scale. Trump administration officials have framed the project as both a patriotic landmark and a symbolic tribute to military sacrifice, arguing that Washington is the only major Western capital without a triumphal arch. President Trump previously described the monument as “the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch anywhere in the world.”
Critics, however, continue to argue that the monument would dramatically disrupt the ceremonial landscape between Arlington National Cemetery and the National Mall. Preservation groups, historians, and Vietnam War veterans have filed lawsuits claiming the structure would obstruct historically significant sightlines and bypass necessary congressional approval through what opponents describe as a “100-year-old loophole” tied to an unbuilt 1925 memorial plan. During the commission review process, officials acknowledged receiving nearly 1,000 public comments — almost entirely opposing the proposal.
The project now advances to the Trump-appointed National Capital Planning Commission for review at its upcoming June meeting, while the National Park Service and local authorities are also expected to weigh in. Preliminary site surveys and testing have already begun, signaling that the administration intends to accelerate the project despite mounting criticism over symbolism, scale, funding, and political spectacle. As Washington undergoes a wave of controversial federal redesign efforts, including the White House ballroom expansion and proposed changes to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the “Arc de Trump” has emerged as one of the most polarizing architectural proposals in recent American civic history.
Image credit: © Harrison Design/U.S. Department of the Interior
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