The Trump administration released new renderings of a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch Friday, showcasing the president’s most dramatic effort yet to leave his mark on the nation’s capital.
Envisioned to help celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, the “Independence Arch” would likewise rise 250 feet above the Memorial Circle roundabout across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. The arch’s top would bear two eagles as well as a 60-foot golden winged angel, identified by President Donald Trump as Lady Liberty. Large text engraved in gold lettering is derived from the Pledge of Allegiance: facing the Lincoln Memorial is “One Nation Under God,” while “Liberty and Justice For All” faces Arlington National Cemetery. Four golden statues of lions are situated around the arch’s base, while additional gold elements adorn the structure. Trump teased the project in October 2025.
“I am pleased to announce that TODAY my Administration officially filed the presentation and plans to the highly respected Commission of Fine Arts for what will be the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World,” Trump posted Friday to Truth Social. “This will be a wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!”
The renderings created by Harrison Design, an American architectural firm with offices across the U.S., were submitted to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) to formally initiate the review process required for large construction projects in the District of Columbia. Whereas Trump previously argued that projects such as the privately-funded White House East Wing Modernization effort did not require outside federal approvals, the location and size of the proposed triumphal arch endures the project falls within the scope and jurisdiction of CFA, as well as the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), with respect to the Commemorative Works Act. In any case, both projects were targets of lawsuits filed before they were formally submitted for review.
Three veterans of the Vietnam War who later served as diplomats filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in February 2026. The lawsuit, brought by progressive watchdog group Public Citizen, argued the arch “would dishonor their military and foreign service and the legacy of their comrades and other veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and would degrade their personal experience when visiting Arlington Cemetery or traveling around Memorial Circle and on the Memorial Avenue Corridor.”
“It will enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250 year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement to The Washington Post.
Established in 1910, the CFA is an independent federal agency charged with “giving expert advice to the President, the Congress and the federal and District of Columbia governments on matters of design and aesthetics, as they affect the federal interest and preserve the dignity of the nation’s capital.” Its seven members — supported by 12 professional staff — are traditionally selected in part based on their expertise in the arts to serve four-year terms without compensation.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/Public/CFA.gov)
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