Trump Administration to Build 250-Foot Gilded Arch in D.C.

The Trump administration announced Thursday that excavation work will begin within two weeks on a 250-foot-tall gilded triumphal arch in Washington, D.C. The white structure, featuring gold detailing and a winged Lady Liberty figure flanked by golden eagles, will be located at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The arch will bear the phrase "ONE NATION UNDER GOD."

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the project as a piece of great American architecture. The arch is part of a larger series of beautification efforts led by President Trump, which include renovations to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and the Kennedy Center, as well as a new White House ballroom.

The project faces legal and regulatory hurdles. While the Commission of Fine Arts approved the design, the National Capital Planning Commission has not yet granted final approval. A lawsuit filed by veterans and an architectural historian, represented by the Public Citizen Litigation Group, argues the project lacks congressional authorization and will disrupt historic sightlines. The National Park Service released a report supporting the project but noted it would have adverse effects on those sightlines. The United States Department of Justice is currently seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed.