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The arts commission hand-picked by President Trump is clearing the path. Another building project. This one is an arch. A massive one.
On Thursday the Commission of Fine Arts approved plans for a 250-foot triumphal arch. It’s slated for the grounds near Arlington National Cemetery. Washington DC is about to get taller. Critics hate it. They say the structure will dwarf everything around it. That it will fundamentally alter a meticulously preserved skyline.
Trump said the arch marks America’s 250th birthday.
He also said it celebrates himself.
Another Rubber Stamp
This vote isn’t an accident. The Commission has been eager to let Trump remake the capital exactly how he wants it.
Earlier this year they gave the thumbs up for a new ballroom. On the site where the East Wing of the White House used to stand. They approved a commemorative gold coin. One that bears the President’s scowling face.
Is it a surprise? No. All seven members were appointed by Trump just a few months ago. The vice-chair, James McCrerey II, actually designed that new ballroom. Another member, Chamberlain Harris? She works inside the White House.
The room was empty when you needed an opponent.
The Lawsuit
Will they build it? Maybe.
It has to clear one more committee. Another group likely to say yes. That shouldn’t stop them.
There is a lawsuit though. A group of Vietnam veterans filed suit to kill the project. They argue the land belongs to the National Park Service. That Congress needs to approve any changes there. The administration disagrees. They are leaning on a 1924 government report as authorization. No new congressional approval required. According to them anyway.
The Big Picture
People tend to look the other way at the architecture. While Trump wages wars of choice or engages in what critics call public graft.
These details feel small. The repainted Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, now touching up thanks to a golf club manager, is another example.
But look closer. They are all part of the same narrative. A president who is growing increasingly bored with public opinion. A machinery that moves because he tells it to. Not because it makes sense. Or because anyone else likes it.
Is anyone really listening?
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A quick note before we go: The newsletter is dark tomorrow. And Monday. Enjoy the long weekend.
Here is some good news from colleague Dylan Scott: Scientists are actually making progress on pancreatic cancer treatments. After decades of failure. You can read the story via a gift link.
See you on Tuesday.
