Leavitt shows off US Triumphal Arch, with plans to be released Thursday https://ift.tt/VhWcsnl

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt closed Wednesday's daily press briefing with more renderings of President Donald Trump's new 250-foot "United States Triumphal Arch."

The Interior Department will submit plans for the "architectural masterpiece" to honor the "enduring triumph of the American spirit" in Washington, D.C., as part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations, Leavitt told the White House press corps.

"It's quite beautiful, as you can see," Leavitt said, sharing poster renderings. "And this monumental arch will beam at 250 feet tall in honor of 250 years."

It will rise on vacant green space at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island, a National Park Service-managed island in the Potomac River, according to Leavitt, adding that plans would be submitted Thursday.

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"The United States Triumphal Arch will be outfitted with beautiful artwork and depictions celebrating the success of the American people over our 250-year history and the enduring triumph of the American spirit," she continued.

"Long after everyone in this room is gone, our children and grandchildren will remain inspired by this national monument. Beginning construction this year on the architectural arch is a fitting way to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence."

While Trump has faced obstruction in the building of his privately funded $400 million White House ballroom, Leavitt said the arch project should draw bipartisan backing.

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"Great nations build beautiful structures that cultivate national pride and love of country, and this Triumphal Arch should be a project that all Americans of all political persuasions can support, because it's a monument for every American to celebrate 250 years of our nation's proud history," Leavitt concluded.

The announcement adds a large-scale capital project to the White House’s expanding Freedom 250 agenda, which the administration has been promoting across official White House channels in recent weeks.

Leavitt did not disclose a cost estimate, construction timeline beyond this year, or details on how the project would be reviewed under federal planning and preservation rules. She also did not say whether Congress would need to authorize funding.

The proposed site, Memorial Circle at the northern end of Columbia Island, sits just off the approaches to Arlington Memorial Bridge and near the George Washington Memorial Parkway, placing the project in a prominent ceremonial corridor linking Washington and Arlington.

Leavitt said the administration would have "many more announcements" tied to the 250th anniversary in the coming months.