Federal panel votes on Trump's arch despite active lawsuits
A 250-foot monument faces final approval Thursday while a judge orders the government to report any vote within one hour.
By Arjun Weber ·
A federal panel is set to vote Thursday on President Donald Trump’s proposal to build a 250-foot arch in Washington, D.C. The National Capital Planning Commission began its hearing with support for the project, even as three separate lawsuits challenge the construction in federal court.
Mark Paoletta, chairman of the 12-member commission, praised the effort during the opening session. He stated that a memorial arch has been called for since a 1925 law, calling the current absence of such a monument a national disgrace. Paoletta, who also serves as general counsel for the White House Office of Management and Budget, noted that great cities around the world feature arches.
The proposed structure stands 250 feet tall, or 76 meters. That height makes it 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty without its pedestal. The design includes a bronze statue of Lady Liberty with wings, an eternal flame, an observation deck, and two mezzanines. Inside, the arch will contain offices, staff lounges, circular staircases, and a fire command center. The plan also proposes rerouting traffic on nearby roads.
Opponents argue the project violates existing design standards and lacks proper congressional approval. Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, told the commission that the arch would dishonor America. He described the monument as a tribute to Trump rather than a memorial to veterans, noting that it resembles structures built for emperors. Phil Mendelson, chairman of the D.C. council and a commissioner, questioned how the arch would affect the symbolic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who oversees one of the challenges, ordered the government to inform her of any commission decision within one hour. She applied the same deadline to the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior. Chutkan, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, may rule on a motion to block construction as early as Thursday. The case includes complaints from the District of Columbia, Virginia, three veterans, and an architectural historian.
Before the hearing started, Justice Department attorneys filed a notice with Chutkan regarding early site work. They reported that Grunley Construction Company painted lines on the site on October 31, 2026. The notice stated that the company did not have authorization from the National Park Service to undertake that work. The arch is located on a patch of grass off a bridge spanning the Potomac River, connecting Washington with Arlington, Virginia.
The administration maintains that Congress cleared the way for a monument at this location decades ago. A recent 106-page plan describes the arch as more than 12 stories high and notes it will have a national security function. Administration lawyer Robert Stander told the court that the project is a high priority and that delays would impede government work.
