Design plan for 250-foot "Arc de Trump" is approved, but 4 lions on the base are now gone

Key Points:

• The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the design for a 250-foot triumphal arch proposed by President Donald Trump to be built at an entrance to Washington, D.C., despite overwhelming public opposition and concerns about its impact on the skyline.
• The arch design features a Lady Liberty-like statue holding a torch, flanked by two gilded eagles, with inscriptions "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice for All," but has removed previously planned lions at the base and an underground pedestrian tunnel.
• Critics argue the arch would dominate the skyline and disrupt historic sightlines between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery; a lawsuit by veterans and a historian is pending to block construction on these grounds.
• Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defend the project, stating Washington lacks such a triumphal arch and emphasizing that the land is managed by the Interior Department, claiming no congressional approval is needed.
• The arch is part of broader Trump administration efforts to reshape Washington, including controversial renovations like adding a blue coating to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which is also facing legal challenges for allegedly bypassing federal preservation laws.