National Capital Planning Commission Staff Recommends Approval of Trump's Proposed 250-Foot Memorial Arch

President Donald Trump's plan to build a 250-foot triumphal arch on a traffic circle on the Virginia side of the Memorial Bridge is scheduled for review by the National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday. ABC News reported that the commission's staff issued an 185-page report recommending approval of the preliminary site and building plans.

The staff report also called for revisions to bring the project into compliance with the Height of Buildings Act.

Those changes would redistribute height among the main structure, habitable roof structure and statuary, though the arch, observation deck and three gilded statues would still reach 250 feet. The staff further recommended that commissioners seek more details on vehicular traffic, the proposed granite exterior and other elements before the Interior Department returns for final approval. The U.S.

Commission of Fine Arts approved the arch design in May 2026. President Trump appointed Will Scharf, a top White House aide, to lead the commission.

Opponents argue the arch would disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. A group of veterans and a historian have sued the Trump administration in federal court to block construction on those grounds. The arch would stand more than twice the height of the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and roughly half the height of the 555-foot Washington Monument.

Trump stated last year that the project could be funded with unused portions of hundreds of millions of dollars raised from corporations, donors and wealthy individuals for a new $400 million White House ballroom. ABC News reported that some public money will be used for both the ballroom and the arch. The White House has not released a cost estimate for the arch.