‘On Thursday, the Commission of Fine Arts signed off on Trump’s plans for a massive 250-foot-tall triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC, which critics warn would dwarf its surroundings and “fundamentally [alter] a meticulously preserved skyline.” Trump has said the arch, intended to mark America’s 250th anniversary, would also celebrate himself. 

The vote is another rubber stamp from a group eager to let Trump remodel DC as he sees fit: Earlier this year, the commission also approved Trump’s plan for a new ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing of the White House and a commemorative gold coin bearing the president’s scowling face. The panel’s eagerness is unsurprising, as all seven members were appointed by Trump earlier this year. The committee’s vice-chair, James McCrery II, was the original architect for Trump’s ballroom, while another member, Chamberlain Harris, currently works in the White House….’ (Cameron Peters via Vox)