Trump touts newly released plans for D.C. triumphal arch

Culture Trump touts newly released plans for D.C. triumphal arch April 11, 20266:24 PM ET Chloe Veltman Artist renderings and diagrams for President Trump's proposed triumphal arch released by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on April 10, 2026. Jon Elswick/AP hide caption toggle caption Jon Elswick/AP President Trump on Friday unveiled official architectural renderings for the triumphal arch he plans to add to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The proposed monument would stand at one end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge next to the Arlington National Cemetery. In addition to the president's post on Truth Social, the plans were released by the Commission on Fine Arts, a federal agency that has review authority over the design and aesthetics of construction within Washington, D.C., and produced by Harrison Design, an architecture, interior and landscape design firm with offices in six U.S. cities, including D.C. The mockup shows a structure very similar to the 3D model that Trump touted at a fundraising dinner at the White House last October. This model of President Trump's proposed triumphal arch was shown at a White House press conference on Oct. 15, 2025. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images At 250 feet tall, the overall height of the structure is intended to serve as, "a fitting recognition of America's 250th birthday," the White House said in an email to NPR. Sponsor Message A monument aimed at honoring what and whom? The proposed arch bears a striking resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris — though would stand almost 100 feet taller — and is topped with two golden eagles and a winged, crowned figure reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty (which was gifted to the U.S. by France in 1884.) On one side, the words "One nation under God" appear, with the phrase "Liberty and justice for all" on the other. The structure would also loom over the nearby Lincoln Memorial — at more than twice the height. "The Triumphal Arc...