On Thursday, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts reviewed and approved design concepts for three projects associated with the White House and federal land in Washington, D.C.
The approval represents the first step in the commission’s review process. The agency will review updated designs for all three projects at a future meeting before taking final votes.
The commission’s current members were appointed by President Donald Trump after he dismissed the previous members in October of the previous year.
The projects are:
- A proposed 250-foot triumphal arch on Columbia Island
- A plan to paint the exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB)
- The construction of an underground visitor screening center beneath Sherman Park
Triumphal Arch Proposal
Design and Location
The proposed arch would stand 250 feet (76 meters) tall from its base to the top of a torch held by a statue. The design includes a Lady Liberty-like figure flanked by two eagles at the top and four lions at the base. All statues would be gilded.
The phrases "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice For All" would be inscribed on the monument. The arch would include a public observation deck.
The proposed site is Columbia Island, a man-made strip of land in the Potomac River managed by the National Park Service. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that the design alludes to a more than 100-year-old Congressional plan for two 160-foot columns on Columbia Island, which were never built. He added that Washington is the only major Western capital without such an arch and described the current site as a traffic circle.
At 250 feet, the arch would be taller than the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial but shorter than the 555-foot Washington Monument. If built, it would be the tallest arch structure in the world, exceeding the Monumento a la Revolución in Mexico City (220 feet) and the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, North Korea (197 feet). Lead architect Nicolas Charbonneau stated the height references the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
Commission Feedback and Revisions
Commission Vice Chairman James McCrery II, who voted in favor of the preliminary design, suggested removing the statue and eagles from the top to reduce its overall height. He also objected to the inclusion of lions, stating they are not native to North America, and suggested reducing the arch to approximately 166 feet.
The four lion statues and an underground pedestrian tunnel were subsequently removed from the revised design, which retained the 84-foot gilded statues. Project architect Nicolas Charbonneau will have an opportunity to revise the design based on all feedback before the commission votes on final approval.
Public Comment and Legal Challenges
The commission received approximately 1,000 written public comments on the project. According to commission secretary Thomas Luebke, all comments were in opposition. Three of four people who delivered public comment at the meeting opposed the arch, largely due to its size.
A lawsuit has been filed in federal court by a group of veterans and a historian seeking to block construction. The plaintiffs, including Vietnam War veterans, argue the project lacks proper congressional approval and would disrupt the symbolic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery. The White House has stated it will follow all legal requirements. A Congressional Research Service report concluded that congressional authorization is needed, but the administration has argued the land is under the jurisdiction of the Interior Department.
Funding and Additional Considerations
The total cost of the project has not been publicly specified. A report cited estimates from White House insiders of approximately $100 million, with a mix of taxpayer and private funds anticipated. The administration’s spending plan for the National Endowment for the Humanities, approved by the Office of Management and Budget, reserves $2 million in special initiative funds and $13 million in matching funds for the arch. The proposed site is along a flight path for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, prompting a request for an aeronautical study by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Eisenhower Executive Office Building Paint Job
Proposals
The White House presented two proposals for the EEOB: painting the entire building bright white, or painting most of it white while leaving the granite exposed on the lower levels. White House official Josh Fisher stated the administration prefers painting the entire building, citing its exterior as being in "great disrepair" and uncertainty about whether cleaning would improve its condition. President Trump has previously stated he dislikes the building's gray granite exterior.
Commission Feedback and Public Comment
All public comment received by the commission, both written and in person, was against the proposed paint job. Opponents argued it would harm the historic granite and that the building is beautiful as is. The commission requested that White House officials return with the results of paint testing before proceeding further.
Commissioner Chamberlain Harris, who is also the deputy director of Oval Office Operations, stated that painting the building white to match the White House would create a "homogenous environment" and foster a "sense of belonging" for staff who work there.
Legal Status and Preservation Status
The building is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The proposed paint job is also the subject of litigation in federal court. The White House informed a planning agency that painting the building would cost at least $7.5 million.
Underground Visitor Screening Center
Proposal
A coalition of federal agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, the Interior Department, the National Park Service, and the Executive Office of the President, proposes constructing a 33,000-square-foot (3,066-square-meter) underground facility beneath Sherman Park, southwest of the White House.
Purpose and Timeline
The facility is intended to screen tourists and visitors to the White House, providing a more secure location with modern technology and seven processing lanes to reduce wait times. Officials aim to begin construction in August and have the facility operational by July 2028.
Statements from Officials
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle stated the commission's action is "another step in accomplishing President Trump's promise to the American people from the campaign trail — to Make America Safe and Beautiful Again."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt displayed an artist's rendering of the proposed arch to reporters on April 15, 2026.
President Trump called the arch vote "fantastic" and stated on social media that the arch "will be the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World."
Next Steps
The Commission of Fine Arts will review updated designs for all three projects at a future meeting before taking final votes.
The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the arch project on June 4.
Construction permits would require approval from local authorities, and the National Park Service, which manages the land for the arch site, must also approve the project.