"Arc de Trump" receives preliminary design approval from arts commission
The plans call for the arch to be built on Columbia Island, a man-made strip of land in the Potomac River that is part of Washington, D.C.
Updated on: April 16, 2026 / 2:19 PM EDT / CBS News
A Trump-appointed commission tasked with reviewing public buildings in Washington, D.C., raised questions about but ultimately gave preliminary design approval to one of President Trump's architectural priorities: a 250-foot stone arch that would tower above the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The commissioners questioned project architect Nicolas Charbonneau about the arch's structural footings, pedestrian and wheelchair access and the golden statues atop the structure.
"It seems odd," commissioner James McCrery said of the winged figures.
Two golden lion statues would flank the arch structure as well.