The National Capital Planning Commission voted on Nov 5 to authorize the construction of a towering monument near Memorial Circle in Washington, clearing a primary regulatory path for President Donald Trump’s planned triumphal arch. The decision followed a public hearing lasting nearly nine hours in which residents and veterans’ groups expressed opposition to the structure. The administration has said it intends to begin building the 250 foot monument immediately.
The approval occurs while a federal judge determines whether to grant an injunction that would halt the project. The governments of D.C. and Virginia have filed lawsuits alleging the arch is unlawful and lacks congressional authorization, arguing the project would permanently alter the capital’s landscape and cast shadows over burial sites at the nearby Arlington National Cemetery.
