President Trump’s plan to build a towering Triumphal Arch at the gateway to the nation’s capital just cleared its first major federal hurdle. On Thursday morning, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts voted to approve the concept design for the 250-foot gilded arch, which the Trump administration wants to erect in time for America’s 250th birthday. Every member of the commission voted in favor of moving forward — the panel is now made up entirely of Trump appointees after the president fired the previous members last October. The approval isn’t the final word. The commission asked the project’s architect, Nicolas Charbonneau, to come back with a revised version of the design before the final vote. But make no mistake — this was a significant step forward for a project many critics didn’t think would ever get out of the gate. The Rapid Response 47 account shared the official renderings of the arch last week when the plans were first unveiled: pic.twitter.com/zcH5TtaOu7— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 10, 2026 The design is exactly what you’d imagine a Trump monument to look like — and that is not meant as a criticism. The 250-foot structure will be crowned by a winged Lady Liberty figure holding a torch, flanked on either side by gilded eagles. At the base, four gilded lions will stand guard. The phrases “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” are to be inscribed in gold lettering atop either side of the monument. At 250 feet, the arch will be roughly two and a half times the height of the Lincoln Memorial (99 feet) and nearly as tall as the U.S. Capitol. It will sit on Columbia Island — a human-made island in the Potomac River near the Arlington Memorial Bridge — serving as a grand gateway from Arlington National Cemetery into the District. NBC News laid out the path ahead: President Donald Trump’s planned triumphal arch for Washington cleared a key hurdle Thursday after its early designs secured approval from a federal arts panel whose members were handpicked by the president.The Commission of Fine Arts, which has a new slate after Trump fired the previous members last year, vets designs and major architectural projects in the nation’s capital.Members of the Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday asked the project’s architect, Nicolas Charbonneau, to make some revisions to details in his designs and draft “a second iteration” to present at an upcoming meeting of the panel. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who helped present the project plans at the hearing, told the commission the arch “embodies American freedom” and argued that the human-made island where it will sit is currently barren — not honoring the original vision for the capital city. That said, the project is anything but universally loved. According to ABC News, the commission fielded a wave of public opposition: Protesters gathered outside the National Building Museum, where the commission has its office, and held up signs that read: “Stop Arch Insanity,” “No Trump Arch,” and “No Vanity Arch.”Luebke said many of the comments characterized the project as “a waste of money and misuse of funds” and others said “that it would obstruct historic views and disrupt the landscape, it was inappropriate imperial or political symbolism, that the design was gaudy, oversized, incompatible, and that it was disrespectful to Arlington National Cemetery and military sacrifice.” Nearly a thousand public comments were filed against the project, according to the commission. None of that, of course, was enough to stop the vote from going through. There were some design-related pushbacks from within the commission itself. Vice Chair James McCrery II — an architect who had briefly worked on Trump’s proposed White House ballroom before leaving over concerns about its size — suggested removing three statues from the top of the arch that account for 84 feet of its height. McCrery also objected to a proposed 250-foot underground pathway for visitors, and argued that the lion statues at the base weren’t traditionally “American” symbols. Still, the project is moving forward. And President Trump has been clear from the beginning about what kind of monument he’s building. Announcing the project on Truth Social last week, the president wrote that the administration had “officially filed the presentation and plans to the highly respected Commission of Fine Arts for what will be the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World” — and a “wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!” The White House is framing the arch as a tribute to American servicemembers. Spokesman Davis Ingle told NBC News the monument “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.” The arch also faces legal challenges — a group of veterans and historians has sued the administration, arguing that congressional approval is required before construction can begin. But with the Commission of Fine Arts now on board, the revisions underway, and a clear mandate from the White House, the path is open for America to get its first Triumphal Arch — a 250-foot, gold-crowned monument standing at the entrance of the nation’s capital just in time for the country’s 250th birthday. Say what you want about the design — it is going to be a sight to behold.