--- title: "DC official urges Trump to scrap arch for columns" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/dc-official-urges-trump-to-scrap-arch-for-columns" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/dc-official-urges-trump-to-scrap-arch-for-columns" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/dc-official-urges-trump-to-scrap-arch-for-columns.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/dc-official-urges-trump-to-scrap-arch-for-columns" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-18T21:05:13.488Z" source_reported: "2026-09-18T20:39:00.000Z" updated: "2026-09-18T21:05:13.488Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 59 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-18T21:00:14.329257+00:00" --- # DC official urges Trump to scrap arch for columns *A preservation official wrote to the Trump administration proposing slender columns instead of a 250-foot arch.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to a named body, and the Washington Post is cited as the source. - Craft 59 of 100, higher is better. The story includes a quote from an official and mentions the origin of the design. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. The headline uses loaded adjectives like 'tacky' and 'mammoth vanity project'. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - President Donald Trump wants a 250-foot triumphal arch built near Arlington National Cemetery. - A DC preservation official, C. Andrew Lewis, has proposed building slender columns instead. - Lewis cited original designs from 1924 and a 1925 Act of Congress in a letter to the Trump administration. - The proposal suggests abandoning the arch for an alternative that reflects the original intent of the monument. President Donald Trump has advocated for the construction of a 250-foot-tall triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery. This proposal cites long-dormant plans for a monument at the site. In response, local officials, preservationists, and historians are advocating for an alternative design. They propose building slender columns, which were originally envisioned by architects and lawmakers a century ago. ## Disagreement on original vision C. Andrew Lewis, an official in Washington’s historic preservation office, wrote a letter to the Trump administration. Lewis requested that the administration give "meaningful consideration" to an alternative that "more accurately reflects the spirit and intent of the 1924 McKim Mead & White design and the 1925 Act of Congress." The Washington Post reported that Lewis's letter was obtained by the newspaper. The digests from Newsmax and washingtonsun.com state that administration officials have cited a 1925 plan that authorized two pillars as justification for Trump's 250-foot arch. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated digests mention the cost estimate for the proposed arch. The centre-rated digest does not mention the cost estimate. The right-rated digest does not mention the cost estimate. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 67% (4) - Centre: 16% (1) - Right: 17% (1) 0 of 6 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-18T21:00:14.329257+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-18T21:30:34.504Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports focused on the proposal to build columns instead of Trump's arch. Joe.My.God. published the full report from The Washington Post, highlighting C. Andrew Lewis's letter requesting consideration of an alternative that reflects the original 1924 design and 1925 Act of Congress. The Washington Post's headline stated: "Build columns, not Trump’s arch, D.C. official tells administration." The Daily Beast's headline described the arch as a "mammoth vanity project." ### Centre - The centre-rated report from Political Wire highlighted the call to scale back Trump's arch. It quoted The Washington Post stating that President Donald Trump has insisted on a 250-foot arch, while local officials are pushing for slender columns originally envisioned by architects and lawmakers a century ago. ### Right - The right-rated report from Newsmax focused on the DC official's message to the Trump administration. Its headline stated: "D.C. Official to Trump Admin: Scrap Arch, Build 1925 Columns." The digest noted that a preservation official urged the administration to scrap the planned 250-foot arch and build two slender columns envisioned in a 1925 congressional plan. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 1 - mixed: 1 - high: 3 - unknown: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Newsmax](https://newsmax.com/us/donald-trump-triumphal-arch-d-c/2026/09/18/id/1269917) — D.C. Official to Trump Admin: Scrap Arch, Build 1925 Columns - [Joe.My.God.](https://joemygod.com/2026/09/dc-officials-propose-columns-instead-of-trumps-arch) — DC Officials Propose Columns Instead Of Trump’s Arch - [washingtonsun.com](https://washingtonsun.com/metro/preservation-official-trump-scrap-arch-pillars) — D.C. Preservation Official Says Trump Needs to Scrap His Arch for a Smaller Monument - [Political Wire](https://politicalwire.com/2026/09/18/d-c-official-says-trump-arch-should-be-scaled-back) — D.C. Official Says Trump Arch Should Be Scaled Back - [The Washington Post](https://washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/18/dc-officials-says-trump-arch-should-be-scaled-back-two-columns) — Build columns, not Trump’s arch, D.C. official tells administration - [The Daily Beast](https://thedailybeast.com/disturbing-admission-over-trumps-tacky-arch-is-leaked) — Disturbing Admission Over Trump’s Tacky Arch Is Leaked ## Questions **What monument does Donald Trump want built?** President Donald Trump wants a 250-foot-tall triumphal arch to be constructed near Arlington National Cemetery. He has insisted on this design, citing long-dormant plans for a monument at the site. **What alternative is being proposed?** Local officials, preservationists, and historians are proposing an alternative to build slender columns instead of the arch. This idea reflects original designs envisioned by architects and lawmakers a century ago. **Who is advocating for the alternative design?** C. Andrew Lewis, an official in Washington's historic preservation office, wrote a letter to the Trump administration. He requested that the administration consider an alternative that more accurately reflects the spirit and intent of the original 1924 design and the 1925 Act of Congress. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/dc-official-urges-trump-to-scrap-arch-for-columns. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "DC official urges Trump to scrap arch for columns", https://mediabias.news/politics/dc-official-urges-trump-to-scrap-arch-for-columns