Army Plans to Reinstate Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery

Restoration Plans Unveiled

The U.S. Army has disclosed plans to reinstall the controversial Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. This move comes nearly three years after its removal due to a congressional mandate. The Army submitted final design plans to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on October 15, indicating how the bronze sculpture will be restored and returned to Section 16 of the cemetery by 2027, as per ABC News.

These plans detail the memorial’s intended placement, elevation, and installation while the Trump administration proceeds with reversing its removal in December 2023. Newsweek reached out to Arlington National Cemetery for comments.

Details of the New Maps

The Army’s proposals involve repositioning the bronze sculpture at its initial site in Section 16, the resting place of numerous Confederate soldiers. The memorial will be placed on its existing granite base, which remained after the removal of its bronze elements in December 2023. The Army does not intend to reconstruct the entire monument from scratch.

Conservation and refurbishment work on the sculpture are part of the design. The Army will also provide interpretive materials to offer visitors a historical perspective and significance of the memorial.

The plans were shown to the Commission of Fine Arts, which advises the federal government on design and aesthetic issues in Washington D.C. The memorial’s reinstatement is anticipated in 2027.

Reasons for Removal

The memorial was dismantled in December 2023 following a congressional directive to remove Confederate monuments from military sites. The Army adhered to the congressional order and completed the necessary environmental and historic-preservation processes before removing the bronze components.

The removal was in response to the Naming Commission’s recommendations, an independent agency formed to evaluate military assets commemorating the Confederacy. The memorial, created by Moses Jacob Ezekiel—a sculptor and Confederate veteran—had stood at Arlington since 1914. It was commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and dedicated during Woodrow Wilson’s presidency.

The monument features a bronze female figure symbolizing the South above a series of reliefs illustrating scenes of Southern life during the Civil War. Among the representations are enslaved Black Americans, an element criticized by historians and opponents who believe the memorial glamorizes the Confederacy and trivializes slavery.

Return of the Memorial

The decision to bring back the sculpture reflects a policy shift under President Trump’s administration. In 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth advocated for restoring the memorial, depicting its removal as an effort to erase American history.

In a social media post, Hegseth asserted the Arlington statue “never should have been taken down by woke lemmings.” He stressed that, unlike “the Left,” his belief is in honoring history instead of erasing it. In July 2025, the Army agreed with the Commonwealth of Virginia to loan the sculpture to the Center for Military History for display at Arlington, near Ezekiel’s burial site.

The Army has committed to extensive conservation and refurbishment of the sculpture before its return. It will also create interpretive content to offer visitors accurate historical context.

The restoration has reignited the debate over how the United States should commemorate the Civil War and the Confederacy, particularly at Arlington, one of the nation’s prominent military cemeteries. Supporters of the reinstatement argue the monument is a historic artifact that deserves preservation. Critics warn that its return could honor a cause rooted in preserving slavery and fail to acknowledge the experiences of those enslaved under the Confederacy.

Contact Newsweek editors: Ben Kelly and Trevor Davies