The Point of Arches
The proposed arch by President Trump aims to symbolize American ideals but raises concerns about its implications. It would be a large structure located near significant national landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial. Critics argue that it may embody the very autocratic tendencies that American republicanism seeks to guard against.
- ▪Trump's arch is designed to be 250 feet tall and will include gold details and the phrase ONE NATION UNDER GOD.
- ▪The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the arch, which will be reviewed by the National Capital Planning Commission in June.
- ▪Historically, arches in the U.S. have been used to celebrate republicanism and warn against corrupting forces.
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CultureThe Point of ArchesFor American artists and architects, the structures embody the virtues and vulnerabilities of the republic. Trump’s arch breaks the pattern.By Tyler GreenIllustration by Alisa Gao / The Atlantic*May 21, 2026, 1:12 PM ET ShareSave From nearly the beginning of the United States, Americans have used arches to make visual arguments about the nation’s ideals.When George Washington arrived in Philadelphia after his election as president in 1789, he was welcomed by an arch of laurels and evergreens. Among its erectors was the painter Charles Willson Peale, who also made a 46-foot arch of painted canvas and wood that briefly stood in front of the city’s President’s House, where Washington would live for the bulk of his two terms.
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