Podcast Summary: Letters from an American

Host: Heather Cox Richardson
Episode Date: October 14, 2025
Episode Title: October 13, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Heather Cox Richardson examines recent developments in U.S. symbolic architecture and federal property, focusing on President Donald J. Trump's proposed "triumphal arch" for the nation's 250th anniversary, and the pending sale—and likely demolition—of the historic Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building. Richardson draws connections between these events and broader themes in American history, particularly the tension between rugged individualism and the social safety net symbolized by Social Security.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Proposed Triumphal Arch

• Details of the Proposal

  • President Trump presented Canadian officials with plans for a massive triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial, to commemorate the U.S. 250th anniversary in July 2026.
  • The proposed arch would be of similar or greater height than the Lincoln Memorial, surmounted by a gold "Winged Victory" statue.
  • The design echoes ancient Roman arches celebrating military victories, and recalls the Arc de Triomphe in Paris as well as the never-built German Arch of Triumph, a Nazi-era proposal.

• Symbolic Concerns

  • Critics, including architect Eric Jenkins, warn the arch would sever the symbolic connection between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery—the physical and ideological link between the Union’s sacrifice and national memory.

  • Notable Quote:
    "The proposed arch would disrupt the symbolic connection between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery."
    —Eric Jenkins, via Richardson [03:25]

• Observers’ Reactions

  • There were immediate concerns about the orientation of the Lincoln Memorial in the publicly released plans.
  • Commentators drew parallels to historical authoritarian monuments, highlighting ideological undertones.

2. The Fate of the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building

• History & Significance

  • Built in 1940 for the Social Security Board (the predecessor of the Social Security Administration), the Cohen Building’s murals and function once represented a new era of government responsibility for societal welfare.

  • The Social Security Act of 1935 redefined government’s role—moving from the ideal of rugged individualism to collective responsibility for economic security.

  • Notable Quote:
    "The people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to give all the people under its jurisdiction the best possible life."
    —Frances Perkins, cited by Richardson [06:40]

• Murals as Ideological Symbols

  • Murals by Ben Shahn and other artists depicted the hardships of economic insecurity and the hope offered by social welfare programs.

  • Shahn viewed his Social Security-themed murals as "one of the real fruits of democracy."

  • Notable Quote:
    "I feel that the whole Social Security idea is one of the real fruits of democracy."
    —Ben Shahn, quoted by Richardson [07:30]

• Murals as 'Sistine Chapel of the New Deal'

  • Gray Breschen (Living New Deal) called the building "a kind of Sistine Chapel of the New Deal" because of its iconic public art.

3. Loss of the Building and Its Meanings

• Administrative Changes

  • The Social Security Administration never occupied the building; it went first to the War Production Board during WWII, then to the Voice of America (VOA).
  • Maintenance costs and depressed real estate values led to the Trump administration deciding on the building’s sale and likely demolition.

• Political Forces Behind the Sale

  • A legislative provision (inserted by Senator Joni Ernst) triggered the sale, despite previous Biden administration recommendations to renovate it.
  • The art and architecture reflecting the New Deal legacy and social safety net are threatened with erasure.

4. Contrasting Ideologies: Rugged Individualism vs. Social Democracy

• Current Political Climate

  • The Trump administration’s agenda is described as a “war” on the vision of government embodied by Social Security:

    • Promoting a return to rugged individualism, reducing the social safety net, and focusing on self-reliance.
    • The sale of the Cohen Building is emblematic of this shift.

  • Notable Quote:
    "Since taking office in January 2025, officials in the second Trump administration have made war on the vision of a government embodied by the Social Security, promoting in its place a return to the rugged individualism that is even less true today than it was a century ago."
    —Heather Cox Richardson [10:10]

• Symbolic Stakes

  • Richardson concludes by tying the construction of a monumental arch (triumphal, self-aggrandizing) to the demolition of a building dedicated to collective support, thus crystallizing the conflict over American identity and values.

  • Memorable Closing Line:
    "Now the administration is getting rid of the building built to house the Social Security Administration, along with the murals that champion the government’s role in protecting the equality and security of ordinary people, while Trump contemplates building a triumphal arch carving MAGA ideology into the nation's capital in stone."
    —Heather Cox Richardson [10:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:07 – 03:30: Introduction to the triumphal arch proposal; historical and symbolic analysis
• 03:30 – 06:00: Origins and legacy of the Cohen Building; the New Deal and Social Security
• 06:00 – 09:30: Murals as living history; their artists and meanings
• 09:30 – 10:40: Administrative changes, political motivations for the sale; broader ideological implications

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Eric Jenkins on symbolism: "The proposed arch would disrupt the symbolic connection…" [03:25]
• Frances Perkins on governance: "The people are what matter to government..." [06:40]
• Ben Shahn on democracy: "I feel that the whole Social Security idea is one of the real fruits of democracy." [07:30]
• Gray Breschen on significance: "A kind of Sistine Chapel of the New Deal." [08:50]
• Richardson’s summary of change: "Officials in the second Trump administration have made war on the vision of a government embodied by the Social Security..." [10:10]
• Conclusion: "…Trump contemplates building a triumphal arch carving MAGA ideology into the nation's capital in stone." [10:40]

Tone & Style

Richardson maintains a reflective, historical tone, weaving political analysis with historical context. The narrative is measured, detailed, and often elegiac, emphasizing the stakes in symbolic changes to public architecture and the role of government in American life.

For further exploration: Heather Cox Richardson’s work can be found at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com.