President Donald Trump's attempt to build a triumphal arch in Washington, D.C. is currently buried under a heap of negative feedback, according to a new report.
CNN reported on Thursday that plans for Trump's arch were presented to the Commission of Fine Arts for the first time, where they were met with a wave of negative public comments, including from historic preservation groups. The cold reception was delivered at a time when Trump's other pet project, his signature White House ballroom, is also tied up in litigation.
“We had just under 1,000 commenters. It’s saying that 100% of the comments were against the project,” Commission Secretary Thomas Luebke told the outlet.
Luebke went on to read from some of the letters submitted to the commission ahead of the meeting.
"Luebke read one letter from an unnamed individual that warned the project 'would be profoundly out of scale with its surroundings' and 'appears to disregard established norms that prioritize harmony with existing structures, preservation of sight lines and respect for the symbolic hierarchy of the capitals and landmarks,'" the report reads. "The arch, the individual added, would set a 'troubling precedent.'"
CNN reported that the commission is still "poised to approve the project" despite the negative feedback.
