NCPC Weighs Trump’s 250-Foot Arch as Judge Eyes Construction Ban

The National Capital Planning Commission meets Thursday afternoon to consider final approval of President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch on Memorial Circle, as U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan weighs requests to stop construction near Arlington National Cemetery, according to NPR and Reuters.

The online-only hearing is the sole item on the agenda and is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Eastern. NPR reported that nearly 120 people signed up to speak and that the session is expected to last about five hours. Interior Department renderings submitted for the vote show a 250-foot arch topped with three gold statues and an eternal flame.

Design, site and timeline

The arch would stand on the traffic circle at Arlington Memorial Bridge, between the Lincoln Memorial and the cemetery entrance. Reuters reported it would resemble Paris’s Arc de Triomphe but stand more than 80 feet taller, nearly matching the 288-foot height of the U.S. Capitol, and sit near the final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. A rendering described by Reuters shows a 60-foot gold winged figure holding the flame, flanked by gold eagles.

The Commission of Fine Arts approved the design in May, NPR said. In September, a federal historic-preservation review was terminated. The White House says the arch would enhance the visitor experience at Arlington; Trump on Monday at the Reflecting Pool called it “one of the great things we’ve ever done,” NPR reported. Reuters quoted him saying the site could house drones and snipers and would be “the most beautiful arch in the world.”

If the planning commission and Interior approve the project, the Justice Department has said excavation and foundation work lasting six to eight months could begin this week, with above-ground construction no earlier than May 2027 and a total build of 33 to 39 months, Reuters reported. NPR said the government told Chutkan that construction could commence as early as Thursday once those approvals are in hand.

Lawsuits and opposition

Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian sued, arguing Congress never authorized the arch; the administration points to a century-old authorization for columns on the circle that were never built. Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a separate suit over the weekend calling the project legally indefensible, Reuters said. NPR reported that Democratic lawmakers, veterans, preservationists and more than 100,000 people have opposed the arch in comments and protests, citing blocked views, proximity to Arlington graves and airspace risk.

Chutkan heard arguments Friday and ordered the government to notify the court within an hour of any NCPC, National Park Service or Interior decision, and within 30 minutes of activity preparing construction on Memorial Circle, NPR said. Her preliminary-injunction ruling may wait until after Thursday’s commission meeting adjourns at 6 p.m. Eastern.

Developing: The National Capital Planning Commission has not yet voted, and Judge Chutkan has not issued a construction injunction.

Sources: NPR, Reuters, National Capital Planning Commission staff report