Sen. Jim Banks criticized the global war on terrorism memorial on June 10 after artist renderings were unveiled, calling the proposal a disgrace and objecting to what he described as disconnected abstract art. The design, created by Kengo Kuma & Associates, drew immediate criticism from lawmakers this week.
Banks said, "Thousands of heroic Americans sacrificed everything in service to our nation during the Global War on Terror." He added, "I served in Afghanistan," and said, "These were real people with real stories." The memorial is intended to honor the 7,054 service members killed in the Global War on Terrorism.
Banks on X
The senator posted his comments on X after the renderings surfaced. He said, "They deserve to be honored with dignity, not disconnected abstract art." His criticism focused on the design’s lack of direct recognition for the fallen, a point that has come up repeatedly in objections to the concept.
Sen. Mike Lee used similar language, calling the concept a "disappointing landscape feature better suited to a hotel courtyard or mini golf course than a monument to the courageous men and women who fought, and the lives lost, to radical Islamic terrorism." Rep. Derrick Van Orden called it an "abomination" and a "Jazz Hands monument to our fallen brothers and sisters."
Foundation input since 2018
The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation said the concept was shaped by years of input from more than 20,000 Americans. The foundation said that input came from veterans and Gold Star families, and that the process began in 2018 with the "Help Design History" campaign.
The foundation said the campaign gathered input from more than 20,000 Americans across all 50 states and territories, including every service branch and veterans of conflicts since World War II. A 23-member Design Advisory Council guided the memorial process, with Gold Star family members, veterans, and service members among its members.
That left a direct clash between the design team’s process and the lawmakers’ criticism. Michael "Rod" Rodríguez, the foundation’s president and CEO, said, "This design was shaped by history and held sacred from the beginning—forged by sacrifice and informed by the voices of warriors and their families."
Congressional pressure builds
Van Orden said there is now "bipartisan/bicameral" support in Congress to stop the design, and he said he would hold the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation "organizationally and personally accountable" if it proceeds. The criticism sharpened after the June 10 release because it moved from private debate to public pressure from senators and a representative.
The immediate issue now is whether the foundation advances the current concept or responds to the objections from Banks, Lee, and Van Orden. For families and veterans watching the project, the design fight has shifted to who gets to define how the memorial honors the 7,054 service members it is meant to remember.
