The Trump Triumphal Arch already has a design that is controversial because of its aesthetic qualities and because of where it would be placed. The beauty of the Arch has already been debated in artistic circles, on the television news, and by political pundits, but a lesser debate has been had on the Arch’s impact on three of the Civil War’s most memorable sites in the Washington area. I am using the illustrations from the New York Times to look at how this will change the Lee/Lincoln landscape in the District of Columbia and Virginia. Those of you who find the Arch questionable should submit a comment to the Federal government explaining why the siting of the Arch denigrates our history. Those of you who want to object to the Arch, its design, or its siting should follow this link to the form for submittal of those objections to the National Park Service. The comment period closes at 11:59PM on June 15, 2026.
According to the National Park Service’s assessment of the Triumphal Arch:
“The purpose of the proposed undertaking is to celebrate 250 years of American independence by honoring America’s founding principles through installation of an arch at the intersection of Arlington Memorial Bridge and Memorial Avenue within George Washington Memorial Parkway, in a manner consistent with the avenue’s established role as a ceremonial gateway and “Avenue of Heroes” celebrating valor, sacrifice, and American heritage. Arlington Memorial Bridge and Memorial Avenue serve as a ceremonial entrance to Washington, D.C. and the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery, physically and symbolically uniting the nation’s history along a corridor already lined with monuments honoring diverse figures of American significance.”
President Trump said simply that the Arch would honor “himself.”
On the left side in the map prepared by the New York Times the Arch is right on the border of the Potomac River in the State of Virginia. It borders on Arlington National Cemetery and on the hill to the left is Arlington House which was Robert E. Lee’s home before the Civil War. Inside of it are exhibits on Lee, the cemetery, and African American refugees escaping slavery. Across from the Arch is the Lincoln Memorial, and the Reflecting Pool. These sites are connected by the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
The bridge was constructed in 1932 in a Neoclassical style to provide access to the largest military cemetery in the United States and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on its ground. It also serves as a way for people coming north from Virginia to have Washington framed by the Lincoln Memorial as they came across the bridge. It was designed by the prestigious architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White and it has two statues on the District of Columbia side. It is nearly a half-mile wide at 2,163 feet.
From 1900 until 1922, several plans were put forward to build the bridge, but it was only when Warren G. Harding signed on to the plan was it actually commenced. Harding and the commission set up to build the bridge agreed that the bridge should focus on a line of sight from the Lincoln Memorial to the Robert E. Lee House, or Custis-Lee House as it was known at the time.
While the bridge is magnificent, it is not tall. The architects did not want to obscure the sight of the Lincoln Memorial and the Robert E. Lee House.
The proposed new Arch will be 250 feet in height. The Lincoln Memorial is “only” 99 feet high. The Arch will tower over the memorial to Lincoln. More than 8 million tourists visited the memorial to the Civil War president last year both because of its history and because it is literally monumental at the west end of the National Mall. There they learn about the Civil War, Lincoln’s Presidency, and the Emancipation Proclamation. In the future, the Lincoln Memorial will be an anteroom to the Trump Triumphal Arch.
The siting of the bridge was also supposed to show that the country could be reunited after a bloody Civil War. On the north side is the assassinated victor in the war who proclaimed freedom. On the south side is the home of the greatest Confederate leader during the war. They were separated by conflict, but at the start of the war, they lived within easy sight of each other. If you look at the rendering below, Lee’s house is miniscule inside of the Arch. During its meetings, Harding’s commission did recognize that many Americans saw Lee as a heroic and Christian gentleman and they saw his cause as “Lost” but he was being a person of dignity. That tribute to Lee is lost inside the Arch.
Since it is the Triumphal Arch, instead of reconciliation, Trump proposes that one section of the country has triumphed. Which One?
And, while Lee’s Home and the Lincoln Memorial are considered sacred ground, the most important part is Arlington National Cemetery. The cemetery was originally on Lee’s estate. It became a cemetery for Union soldiers during the war so that Lee could never move back. Lee was very upset at the taking of his land. His heirs were later paid for the value of it. Over the years in the many wars after the Civil War, it has become a symbol of reconciliation as people from all different parts of our country are buried together on the same land without distinction. And, of course, one of the most iconic sites is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where we don’t know where they came from, whether U.S.-born or an immigrant, only that they died for their country.
The Arch is decorated with gold. While the existing statues in front of the bridge are gilded, the other aspects are not. The Massive Statue of Liberty and two eagles will make this the largest gilded work in Washington.
You don’t have to be an architect or an historian to submit your comment. If you do, you should be honest, state why you are making the comment, and refrain from personal attack.
Kevin Levin at Civil War Memory is also trying to encourage comments and his recent piece may help you form your own comments. Please don’t let this opportunity slip away.
[Note: I found out about the deadline on Monday from Mr. Levin.]
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