Trump Proposes 250-Foot 'Independence Arch' Over Potomac

President Donald Trump proposed a privately funded 250-foot 'Independence Arch' for Memorial Circle and the White House shared images of designs on Jan. 23, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.

Architects and historians, including art critic Catesby Leigh, warned that a 250-foot arch would alter sightlines to the 100-foot Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, changing Memorial Circle's character, they said.

The White House defended the plan as "one of the most iconic landmarks," Davis Ingle said, while critics questioned using leftover donations from the $400 million White House ballroom project, according to reports.

Memorial Circle is controlled by the U.S. National Park Service and any monument would require approvals from multiple review bodies and potentially Congress, and no final plans have been submitted for federal review, officials said.

Trump said he has set up a committee to review designs and officials said the project remains under development and would face legal and regulatory reviews before any construction could begin.