Trump Proposes 250-Foot Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle

President Trump has proposed construction of a 250-foot granite United States Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle on the western bank of the Potomac River across from the Lincoln Memorial. The Atlantic reported that the project is undergoing Section 106 historic-preservation review.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is scheduled to vote by July 24 on draft amendments that would revise rules governing Section 106 reviews.

A July 17 email and draft amendments obtained by The Atlantic show the council will consider changes that respond to uncertainties, delays, and regulatory burdens created by current interpretations of the law. If approved, the proposal would move to the Office of Management and Budget for further review.

Sara Bronin, a law professor at the George Washington University Law School and former chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, stated on July 19 that the revisions would narrow the types of historic properties protected, weaken consultation with tribal nations, dramatically curtail public participation, and exempt large categories of federally backed state and local projects from Section 106.

Bronin added that the regulations, if adopted, would face court challenges and likely would not survive judicial scrutiny. The arch has passed one key federal commission and appears likely to receive sign-off from another in September. The Commission of Fine Arts gave its final approval in May.

The National Capital Planning Commission voted 8–1 to approve preliminary plans earlier this month. A lawsuit has been filed against the project by Vietnam War veterans and a preservationist. A recent poll found 52 percent of Americans opposed the arch.