White House recasts Trump arch as military tribute
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The site unveiled on Nov 6 calls the project, which would stand near the entrance of Arlington National Cemetery, the Military Triumphal Arch.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- The White House has rebranded Donald Trump’s planned 76.2m Washington arch as the “Military Triumphal Arch”, with new images linking it to military heritage and the “GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA”.
- The project faces strong opposition from Virginia and the District of Columbia, which say it would harm the skyline near Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial, with aviation safety also raised.
- A US judge issued a 14-day restraining order after the planning commission approved the arch, while the White House said it expects to win the case and finish the project in two to three years.
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WASHINGTON - Hours after a US judge paused construction on President Donald Trump’s proposed 76.2m arch in Washington, the White House on Nov 6 shared new depictions portraying the project as a tribute to the nation’s military heritage, the latest attempt to rebrand it amid mounting opposition.
The site unveiled on Nov 6 calls the project, which would stand near the entrance of Arlington National Cemetery, the Military Triumphal Arch.
Animated images show a trio of gilded, winged statues above the words “GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA,” written in gold letters set against stone.
A flame emanates from a torch in the hands of one of the winged female figures.
The White House shared the new renderings from a group called the United States Triumphal Arch Foundation.
The group’s chairman, former Trump-appointed ambassador Randy Evans, said in a statement that the foundation is not connected to the government.
Trump has increasingly turned his attention to a series of major projects in Washington, both before and after his Republican Party suffered massive losses in Nov 7’s midterm elections that cost the party control of Congress.
The arch and Trump’s other signature projects have drawn significant political and legal opposition.
The attorneys general from Virginia and the District of Columbia have sued to prevent construction of the arch, which they say will irreparably damage the skyline of the nation’s capital and surrounding area, including Arlington National Cemetery, the nation’s most revered resting ground for service men and women, and the nearby Lincoln Memorial.
Some aviation experts also raised safety concerns given its proximity to Reagan Washington National Airport.
However, the Federal Aviation Administration green lit the project in September.
The president previously justified the arch as a “military complex” to be used for drones and snipers.
The new renderings indicate the arch is also now dedicated to the nation’s military history.
The National Capital Planning Commission, a regional authority, voted on Nov 5 to approve the arch project after hearing from about 100 opponents, including Democratic lawmakers.
Hours later, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a 14-day restraining order on construction, saying it would last about three years and “disrupt traffic, create noise, result in large-scale excavation, and more.”
The Trump administration contends Congress approved the arch more than 100 years ago when it also authorised construction of a bridge across the Potomac River.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle on Nov 6 said the federal ruling came from “an activist district court” and added, “We are confident we will be fully vindicated as this litigation proceeds and look forward to seeing the completion of this magnificent Arch – a tribute to 250 years of American greatness.”
Construction is expected to take two to three years, according to Interior Department documents submitted to the planning commission on Nov 5. REUTERS