Work on Trump-backed triumphal arch to begin within weeks

Excavation for President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is expected to begin within two weeks, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Thursday. The project, one of the president’s most visible architectural initiatives, has already become a source of strong opposition.

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This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture, honoring the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and befitting the most powerful Capital in the World.

The planned arch would rise 250 feet near Arlington Memorial Cemetery, opposite the Lincoln Memorial. It would be clad in granite and topped with three golden statues and an observation deck. The National Park Service expects construction to last two to three years, with work proceeding 20 hours a day throughout the year. That timetable could bring completion toward the end of Trump’s second term.

The administration says the structure would mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It has also argued that earlier architectural plans for the site envisioned a monument. Burgum promoted the design on X, calling it “one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture” and saying it would honor Arlington National Cemetery and suit the nation’s capital.

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small, medium and large

Trump has taken a personal interest in the project. He has displayed three-dimensional renderings at White House events and told donors to his proposed White House ballroom that he chose the largest of three possible designs because “the large looks by far the best.”

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the large looks by far the best

Critics say the arch, more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial, could disrupt views between Washington’s major monuments and Arlington National Cemetery. They have also questioned its location just north of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. A veterans’ group sued earlier this year, arguing that the administration needs congressional approval. The Justice Department asked a judge to dismiss the case, which remains pending. The National Park Service acknowledged potential adverse effects on the landscape, while saying the site’s sensitivity also makes it historically appropriate. Two Trump-appointed panels overseeing construction in the capital have supported the project.

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the same characteristics that make Memorial Circle sensitive from a preservation perspective are also the characteristics that make it the historically appropriate location for the undertaking.