"Arc de Trump" design plan approved, without lions on the base

U.S. Design plan for 250-foot "Arc de Trump" is approved, but 4 lions on the base are now gone May 21, 2026 / 2:57 PM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday approved the design for the triumphal arch that President Donald Trump wants built at an entrance to the nation's capital, a key step in the project's process.Commissioners, all appointed by Mr. Trump, acted despite overwhelming public opposition to the 250-foot arch, one of several projects that Trump is pursuing alongside a White House ballroom to leave his imprint on Washington."The building is beautiful," the commission's chairman, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., said shortly before the vote on a design revised slightly from what was presented to the federal agency in April.The arch would stand 250 feet tall from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure on top of the structure. The statue would be flanked on top by two gilded eagles, but the four lions envisioned as guarding the base are now gone. The phrases "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice for All" would be inscribed in gold lettering atop either side of the monument. Rendering of Trump triumphal arch that would sit between Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Cemetery submitted by Interior Dept. to Commission on Fine Arts, April 16, 2026. A public observation deck on top would provide 360-degree views of the surroundings.The commission's vice chairman, architect James McCrery II, said in April that he preferred the arch without the figures on top, which would have reduced the arch's height by about 80 feet. Critics of the project argue the arch would dominate the skyline and disrupt views from the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington National Cemetery.At 250 feet, the arch would be significantly taller than the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial, which sits across Memorial Bridge. The Washington Monument is 555 feet. Commissioners were told at Thursday's meeting that Mr. Trump considered the sugge...