The United States Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday approved a revised design for President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch planned for the entrance to Washington, D.C., advancing a major step in the project’s approval process.
The president learned of the commission’s decision during a press conference in the Oval Office and reacted favorably to the news.
“That’s good news; I finally get good news,” he told reporters.
President Trump compared the planned structure to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and said the proposed monument near the Lincoln Memorial would be “even more beautiful” than the French landmark.
Commission Chair Rodney Mims Cook Jr. defended the proposal during Thursday’s meeting.
“Washington is not a static city,” Cook said, adding that the nation’s capital must continue evolving to “allow the next 250 years of Americans to celebrate their accomplishments.”
The project has faced legal opposition since February, when a group of Vietnam War veterans filed a lawsuit seeking to block construction of the arch. The plaintiffs argue the project lacks the required congressional authorization.
The lawsuit, filed with assistance from the watchdog organization Public Citizen, also argues the monument would obstruct views of both the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
President Trump dismissed those concerns on Thursday and argued that congressional approval is unnecessary because the land falls under executive branch authority.
“The land is owned by the Interior Department. We don’t need anything from Congress,” he said.
Several changes to the original proposal were discussed during the commission review process. President Trump rejected suggestions to place large gold statues atop the arch, but approved other revisions, including the addition of a pedestrian tunnel and an observation platform.
The triumphal arch is one of several large-scale construction projects President Trump has pursued during his second term, including plans for a 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom.
