White House reveals new design for Trump arch hours after judge blocks plan

Posted November 6, 2026 4:11 pm

Updated November 6, 2026 4:14 pm

2 min read

The White House has shared new renderings of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans for a 250-foot arch, hours after a judge paused construction of the monument, with updated depictions showing it as a tribute to the country’s military history.

On a new website launched Friday, the towering shrine is seen adorned with gold embellishments mounted on light-coloured granite and states that it will be formally known as the United States Military Triumphal Arch.

0:46 Trump says arch he plans to build “blows away” Paris’ Arc de Triomphe

The website says the opulent memorial will serve as “a solemn entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, honoring the heroes who gave their lives for our freedom, and as a grand gateway to the capital of the nation that has been, and will forever be, the greatest force for freedom and goodness in the history of the world.”

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The announcement of its reimagining came less than 24 hours after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from breaking ground on the arch for 14 days.

The decision followed a series of steps taken earlier Thursday by the government, including the final approval of the arch by the National Capital Planning Commission in an 8-4 vote after a 9 ½ hour hearing where scores of witnesses opposed the construction.

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The website describes the arch as “an American vision finally realized,” and offers numerous views of the proposal, including inscriptions that include “One Nation Under God” on one side and “Golden Age of America” on another. It’s also set to have towering gold doors complete with panels of sculptures at its base and a golden cherub at the top.

The website does not list a budget or disclose how the project will be paid for, although some estimates have reached as high as $100 million.

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On Monday, in his final remarks before the midterm elections, Trump talked up his efforts to revamp the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool. On Wednesday, he guided reporters on a tour of the White House ballroom’s construction site. In his first official action after his party lost control of Congress, he declared the Oval Office would become a national monument.