WASHINGTON — A federal planning board on Thursday prepared to grant final design approval to President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot monument on the Potomac River, despite fierce opposition from local governments, preservationists and military veterans seeking an emergency court order to halt the project.
The National Capital Planning Commission, led by Trump appointees, held an extended hearing on the massive “Triumphal Arch.” The structure is slated for Memorial Circle, situated between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. Officials in the Trump administration have indicated that ground operations could begin almost immediately following approval.
Public Backlash and Omitted Military Details
Mark Paoletta, the general counsel for the White House Office of Management and Budget whom Trump tapped to lead the 12-member panel in August, hailed the undertaking as the “grandest arch ever built by mankind,” according to NBC News. Paoletta declared during the hearing that it was a “national disgrace” that a comparable tribute had not been erected previously.
The virtual proceeding was halted for roughly 30 minutes after what Paoletta described as a “malicious attack” crashed the system. Nearly 130 people registered to speak, with the overwhelming majority registering intense disapproval. Paoletta pledged to hold the final ballot regardless of how late proceedings ran, remarking, “We’ll have this thing done, whether it’s past midnight or not,” NBC News reported.
Trump previously said the towering monument would mark the 250th anniversary of the nation and serve double duty as a national security complex housing snipers and drone operations. However, the 106-page submission reviewed Thursday omitted any overt references to ammunition depots or surveillance platforms. Interior Department Deputy Chief of Staff Greg Wischer testified that the layout remains “capable of hosting national security functions,” noting that classified specifics were submitted under seal in federal court, according to NBC News.
Mounting Court Battles and Legal Roadblocks
The fast-tracked timeline faces fierce legal pushback. The District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia filed an emergency motion to block construction, arguing the monument violates at least five federal laws. Opponents highlighted the Capital’s statutory 130-foot building restriction, which the 250-foot edifice would exceed by nearly double.
Critics also maintain that the Commemorative Works Act requires authorization from Congress, which has not cleared the undertaking. Administration attorneys countered that century-old legislation for Memorial Bridge granted approval for unbuilt 166-foot columns, a rationale local officials dismissed in court filings as “implausible.”
Preservation groups and veterans argued the structure would ruin a historic vista intended to symbolize post-Civil War national healing. Former U.S. Ambassador Michael Lemmon, a Vietnam War veteran and lead plaintiff in one lawsuit, labeled the proposed structure “frankly blasphemous” during testimony.
Demonstrators gathered Thursday near Memorial Circle to protest the design. Democratic Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the district encompassing Arlington National Cemetery, told demonstrators he had never seen such “profound, widespread opposition” across political lines, ARLnow reported.
What Happens Next
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the consolidated legal challenges, instructed the administration to report any commission decision within an hour and demanded a 30-minute warning prior to starting any ground activity. While the National Park Service admitted that a contractor mistakenly made surface markings at the site without authorization, it promised to halt preparatory work without prior notice. The judge could rule on an emergency preliminary injunction at any moment.
