September 24, 2026
Legitimacy Through Form: Trump’s Triumphal Arch Project, Its Architects, and a Brief History of Power Dressed in Classical Clothes
Public Lecture by Timothy James Standring, Curator Emeritus, Denver Art Museum : Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
This is a free event, no registration required.
The Triumphal Arch of Washington, D.C. — widely nicknamed the “Arc de Trump” — was first proposed in October 2025 as part of the American semiquincentennial celebrations. Its various iterations were designed by Harrison Design, an Atlanta-based firm with offices in six U.S. cities. Nicolas Leo Charbonneau, director of the firm’s Sacred Architecture Studio in Washington, D.C, is the lead project manager of this monument.
At 250 feet — intentionally referencing the nation’s 250th anniversary — the arch would stand nearly 90 feet taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and more than 150 feet taller than the Lincoln Memorial.
A 60-foot-tall angel, flanked by two eagles–all lacquered in gold planned for the top of the arch–will face the Lincoln Memorial and the capital more broadly. “ONE NATION UNDER GOD” will be inscribed on the entablature. Inside the arch, there will be staircases and elevators that connect visitors to an upper-level viewing deck. The placement of the monument is a point of contention. More to come on Thursday, September 24th, 2026.
