Trump appointees approve design for 250-foot arch in Washington DC

The Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday approved designs for Donald Trump’s proposed 250‑foot triumphal arch in Washington DC.

The vote, taken by the panel of Trump appointees, marks a key step forward for the project. Next month, the National Capital Planning Commission, another federal panel that oversees planning for federal buildings and land, is set to review the proposed design.

“Washington is not a static city,” the panel’s chairman, Rodney Mims Cook Jr, said on Thursday, according to the New York Times. “It must grow to allow the next 250 years of Americans to celebrate their accomplishments.” He also described the building as “beautiful”, reports said.

The arch, dubbed the “Arc de Trump”, is designed to stand 250 feet tall and includes a public viewing deck.

The administration has said it believes the monument will be “one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington DC, but throughout the world”. It has also said that positioning the arch near Arlington National Cemetery would serve 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”.

But earlier this year, a group of military veterans and historic preservationists sued to stop construction of the arch, arguing that the structure had not received congressional approval and would disrupt the experience of visiting Arlington National Cemetery and obstruct “the symbolic and inspiring view” from the cemetery to the Lincoln Memorial.

In April, a White House official told the Guardian that the arch’s estimated cost was “still being calculated” and would be released in the near future. The official said the White House expects the project to be funded through “some combination of public and private funds”.

According to the New York Times, the Trump administration has argued in legal filings that it has the authority to build the arch.

The arch is one of several high‑profile projects Trump is pursuing in Washington during his second term. Others include the White House ballroom and renovations to the reflecting pool on the US Capitol’s National Mall.

The arts panel that approved the arch plans on Thursday is the same panel that also approved Trump’s ballroom earlier this year.