President Trump on Friday unveiled official architectural renderings for a triumphal arch he plans to add to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The plans were posted on his Truth Social account and released by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; they were produced by Harrison Design, an architecture, interior and landscape firm with an office in D.C. The mockups closely resemble a 3D model Trump displayed at a White House event in October 2025.
The proposed monument would stand at one end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge beside Arlington National Cemetery. At 250 feet tall, the White House said the structure’s overall height is intended as “a fitting recognition of America’s 250th birthday.”
The design echoes Paris’s Arc de Triomphe—though nearly 100 feet taller—and is topped with two golden eagles and a winged, crowned figure reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty. One side bears the phrase “One nation under God,” the other reads “Liberty and justice for all.” The arch would also loom over the nearby Lincoln Memorial, at more than twice that memorial’s height.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said the arch “will enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving 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.” When Trump first unveiled the idea in October, he was asked whom the monument was intended to honor; captured on video, he replied, “Me.”
A group of Vietnam War veterans filed a lawsuit in February seeking to block construction, arguing the project violates statutes that require express congressional authorization for commemorative works or any building or structure on federal park grounds in D.C., among other alleged legal problems. Sue Mobley, director of research at Monument Lab, called the plans “textbook Trump,” saying the proposal’s scale reflects an authoritarian impulse; she added she expects the project will likely get tied up in court.
The White House said it will “follow all legal requirements.” The National Park Service recently requested the Commission of Fine Arts present potential designs; the commission is scheduled to review the plans next week. The current commission is composed entirely of members appointed by Trump after he removed six sitting commissioners in October 2025. The National Capital Planning Commission is also expected to weigh in.
The White House said the project’s estimated cost is still being calculated and anticipates drawing on a combination of public and private funds. Harrison Design did not immediately respond to requests for information about the price tag.
The arch is the latest in a series of architectural initiatives the administration is pursuing in and around Washington. The White House is pushing to build a $400 million neoclassical ballroom; a federal appeals court recently allowed its construction to proceed temporarily while the administration challenges a ruling that congressional approval was required. The historic East Wing has already been demolished to make room for the new ballroom.
Other projects include converting the Rose Garden into a stone-covered patio; plans to close the Kennedy Center for two years for a major renovation, which prompted a coalition of preservation and architecture groups to sue; and proposed changes at Washington Dulles International Airport, for which several prominent architecture firms submitted designs under a Department of Transportation initiative. In August, the president signed an executive order requiring new federal buildings with construction budgets over $50 million be designed in “classical” or “traditional” styles.
Anastasia Tsioulcas contributed to this story.