politics
Trump proposes triumphal arch between Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Cemetery; design review continues for 250th anniversary
The five-level structure would reach 250 feet including a gold-winged figure and two eagles. Construction is planned over two to three years with year-round work in two daily 10-hour shifts.
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President Donald Trump proposed building a triumphal arch to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. The structure would stand between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. National Park Service documents describe a five-level monument with an observation deck and a mezzanine that could house exhibit space, restrooms, a café, and a gift shop.
The main structure would reach approximately 160 feet, rising to 250 feet when including a gold-winged figure and two eagles atop the arch. Construction would proceed in multiple phases over two to three years. Work would run year-round in two 10-hour shifts per day.
The Commission of Fine Arts granted final approval in May. The Federal Aviation Administration completed a preliminary review on Wednesday. The National Capital Planning Commission chairman asked Trump’s team last week to provide a legal rationale for exemption from federal height restrictions.
Vietnam War veterans filed a lawsuit in February challenging the project. Court filings state that the arch would obstruct the view from Arlington National Cemetery to the Lincoln Memorial. The judge has not yet ruled.
The design draws from 1920s and 1930s proposals for two 166-foot fluted columns with winged victory figures at the same site. Earlier plans considered monumental pavilions, fountains, balustrades, Greek temples, and cross-axis roadways before the area was developed into the traffic rotary designed by landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke.
Workers surveyed the Memorial Circle site on Monday, May 11, 2026.
