New website details Trump's proposed military arch after court halts construction
The administration launched a detailed digital showcase for the 250-foot structure despite a temporary restraining order issued by Judge Tanya Chutkan.
By Fatima Saleh ·
A federal judge has paused construction on President Donald Trump’s proposed memorial arch, but the administration immediately moved to promote the project through a new digital platform. The website went live on Friday, the day after U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order. The order prohibits work on the site for 14 days.
The digital showcase offers specific details about the structure, which the site names the United States Military Triumphal Arch. The design calls for a 250-foot tower built from gray granite and gold ornamentation. The monument would stand between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The site describes the project as an American vision finally realized.
Visuals on the website provide bird's-eye views of the proposal. The design includes towering gold doors with sculptural panels at the base. A golden cherub holds a flaming torch at the peak of the structure. The arch would feature inscriptions reading One Nation Under God on one side and Golden Age of America on the other.
The site also outlines functional military spaces within the monument. An event space in the horizontal section would be accessible by elevators and stairs. The massive columns would house storage for munitions. Specific areas on the pedestal and observation deck are designated for snipers, countersnipers, and a sniper nest. An open area at the base is designed for launching drones and other homeland security assets.
The website describes the structure as Highly Secretive and a Top Level and Lethal structure. It claims the design has not been seen in the country before. The text notes that the project is long overdue and has been sought for many years, especially by the military.
The launch follows a series of promotional activities by the administration. On Monday, Trump discussed his effort to overhaul the Lincoln Memorial's Reflecting Pool. On Wednesday, he toured the construction site for his White House ballroom. On Thursday, he declared the Oval Office a national monument. These actions occurred after his party lost control of Congress in the recent midterm elections.
The visual style of the website mirrors aesthetics from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. The word Triumph appears in gold cursive script. This typeface matches flourishes added to the White House during the renovation of the Oval Office and West Wing. The site repeats Trump's claim that Washington has wanted a similar structure to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris for centuries. It also includes a photograph of the president and his quote calling the project the greatest and most beautiful triumphal arch anywhere in the world.
Cost details are absent from the website. The site does not state how the project will be funded. Previous estimates for the structure have reached $100 million. With Democrats taking control of Congress in January, the administration's renovation projects face increased scrutiny. This includes the effort to rename the Kennedy Center and the construction of the White House ballroom.
The temporary restraining order followed a vote by a federal planning commission to approve the arch. The commission includes several of Trump's allies. The court's decision halts physical work on the site while the legal challenge proceeds.
