Published 3 hours ago • loading... • Updated 48 minutes ago
Trump’s proposed Washington arch gets another review
The commission may vote on revised plans for the 250-foot arch after critics said it would dominate the capital skyline.
On Thursday, the Commission of Fine Arts will consider updated plans for President Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, which the agency previously approved last month with suggested modifications.
Architect James McCrery, the commission's vice chairman, recommended removing top figures to reduce the arch's height by about 80 feet, as the current design features a Lady Liberty-like figure, eagles, and gilded lions at the base.
Critics argue the arch would dominate the skyline, dwarfing the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial, while McCrery objected to the gilded lions as not native to North American continents and opposed the planned underground pedestrian tunnel.
A lawsuit filed by veterans and The Cultural Landscape Foundation seeks to block construction, citing disruption to sightlines between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, with a federal court hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Trump contend Washington lacks such a monument in any major Western capital, viewing the project as essential to the city's identity; the National Park Service manages the proposed site.