The Trump administration is preparing to begin excavation for a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, despite the project still awaiting final approval from the federal body responsible for planning in Washington.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on Thursday that work would start over the next two weeks at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
“After a very long wait (over 125 years!), we are preparing to start, over the next two-week period, the excavation work necessary for the Great Triumphal Arch,” Mr Burgum wrote on X.
He described the planned structure as “one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture”, saying it would honour Arlington Cemetery and befit the US capital.
The announcement came before the National Capital Planning Commission has given the scheme final clearance. The commission approved preliminary site and building plans in July but said further information was required before it could take final action, including justification for the arch’s height, transport arrangements and aviation safety measures.
The commission’s official project record also says the applicant must provide updated details on the impact on nearby roads, loading areas, granite cladding and lighting. Its next scheduled meeting is on October 1.
The proposed arch is intended to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. Donald Trump has said it should be taller than Paris’s Arc de Triomphe and has also spoken of the structure as part of his personal legacy.
National Park Service documents indicate that construction could involve two 10-hour shifts a day, throughout the year, for between two and three years. The work would require tower cranes, drill rigs, forklifts and concrete-pumping equipment.
The decision to proceed with excavation has intensified criticism from preservation groups, veterans and Democrats, who say the arch would interfere with carefully designed views connecting the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery.
A National Park Service report published last week acknowledged that the monument would have adverse effects on the views and symbolism of dozens of historically significant locations around Washington. The agency has nevertheless said the same qualities that make Memorial Circle sensitive from a preservation standpoint also make it an historically appropriate site for the project.
The arch is the subject of a lawsuit brought by Vietnam War veterans, who argue that it cannot be built without congressional approval and would obstruct the vista between the Lincoln Memorial and the cemetery.
Nicolas Sansone, the lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the administration had previously promised to provide 14 days’ notice before beginning construction. Instead, he said, the notice was delivered through Mr Burgum’s social media post.
“This demonstrates that they’ve never really taken seriously what they’ve been saying to the court,” Mr Sansone said. “And yet here they are announcing to the American people that they’re proceeding with construction.”
The Justice Department has asked a judge to dismiss the veterans’ case, which remains pending.
Representative Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat whose district includes Arlington National Cemetery, said the project was “not even close to being ready for prime time”. He argued that it was unlawful without congressional authorisation and accused the administration of rushing ahead with what he called a monument to Mr Trump’s vanity.
The Federal Aviation Administration has also examined the arch’s effect on flights near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Its safety assessment found no adverse impact on airport operations but recommended red obstruction lights, similar to those used on the Washington Monument.
Mr Trump has not said whether those lights will be included in the final design.
