The US Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday approved designs for Donald Trump’s proposed 250ft triumphal arch in Washington.
The vote by the panel, which is made up of Trump appointees, marks a key step forward for the project. Next month, the proposed design is set to be reviewed by the National Capital Planning Commission, another federal panel that oversees planning for federal buildings and land.
“Washington is not a static city,” Rodney Mims Cook Jr, the panel’s chair, said, according to the New York Times. “It must grow to allow the next 250 years of Americans to celebrate their accomplishments.”
He also described the building as “beautiful”, according to reports.
The arch, dubbed the “Arc de Trump”, is designed to stand 250ft tall, and includes a public viewing deck.
The administration has said it believes the monument will be “one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington DC, but throughout the world”. It has also said that positioning of the arch near Arlington national cemetery would serve 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”.
But earlier this year, a group of military veterans and historic preservationists sued to stop construction of the arch, arguing that the structure had not received congressional approval and would disrupt the experience of visiting Arlington national cemetery and obstruct “the symbolic and inspiring view” from the cemetery to the Lincoln Memorial.
In April, a White House official told the Guardian that the arch’s estimated cost was “still being calculated” and would be released in the near future. The official said that the White House expects that the project will be funded through “some combination of public and private funds”.
According to the New York Times, the Trump administration has argued in legal filings that it has the authority to build the arch.
The arch is one of several high-profile projects that Trump is pursuing in Washington during his second term. Others include the White House ballroom and the renovations to the reflecting pool on the US Capital’s national mall.
The arts panel that approved the arch plans on Thursday is the same panel that also approved Trump’s ballroom earlier this year.
In the Oval Office, Trump was asked about the news that the panel approved the plans for his arch. “That’s good news,” Trump said.
“We’re building what’s called the ‘triumphal arch’ right opposite the Arlington Memorial Bridge, right by the Arlington cemetery. It’s beautiful” he said, adding: “We just got approval from Fine Arts. That’s fantastic.”