Initial work will begin over the next two weeks on the Trump administration’s controversial 250-foot triumphal arch project, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced on Thursday. It is set to be topped with winged sculptures, on an empty traffic circle near the Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Cemetery. Burgum’s announcement comes as the legal status of the arch is under scrutiny.
The National Capital Planning Commission has yet to offer its final approval for the project, while Democrats argue the administration needs congressional approval to move forward. The arch also faces a lawsuit from veterans, who argue the arch will tower over the nearby military cemetery and disrupt their experience. Don Beyer of Virginia also criticized the announcement.
The White House also claims support from a Supreme Court decision this week, which allowed construction to move forward on the new White House ballroom because the National Trust for Historic Preservation lacked standing to challenge the project. The Trump team moved Thursday to dismiss the case trying to stop the arch. Justice Department lawyers noted the challengers' “distaste for the perceived symbolism of the proposed arch does not establish a concrete and particularized injury” meriting a lawsuit.
The arch, which would stand nearly 90 feet taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, would be among the most significant and large-scale projects from President Trump to renovate Washington, alongside his changes to the White House, his renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and his effort to beautify various D.C. parks and statues. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
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