A federal historic preservation agency has announced it is terminating required consultations with Virginia and Washington, D.C., regarding President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch, signaling an intent to proceed with the project without local cooperation. The Advisory Council for Historic Preservation (ACHP) stated in a letter to the National Park Service (NPS) that it is ending the consultation process aimed at minimizing adverse effects of the arch.
The arch, planned for National Park Service land near Arlington National Cemetery, has faced significant opposition from Virginia officials. The state's Department of Historic Resources (DHR) argued in a letter that the proposed mitigation efforts by NPS would not adequately address the perceived harm to the historic landscape and viewshed. Samantha Henderson, director of review and compliance at DHR, wrote that the comments received from the public and local agencies had not been sufficiently addressed by NPS.
Virginia officials expressed concern that the undertaking would "mar rather than add" to the commemorative spaces. They contended that NPS's proposal to minimize harm "fails to address the severity of the adverse effects."
The ACHP, whose leadership and members are appointed by the president, noted that NPS had indicated that avoiding or minimizing adverse effects would alter the fundamental nature and goals of the proposed undertaking. Washington, D.C. officials declined to comment on the project.
Under federal law, agencies are required to consult with state and local officials on projects that may affect historic properties, but they are not obligated to reach an agreement. The consultation can be terminated if consensus cannot be achieved.
The ACHP will submit its final comments to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum by October 7. Burgum will then make a determination on whether to proceed with the arch. The project's design has yet to receive final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which is expected to review it within the next six months.
Earlier this week, Trump stated on his social media platform that, at the U.S. military's request, he had agreed to convert the arch into a "top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch, to house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage." The Pentagon has not commented on this announcement.
The Trump administration had previously acknowledged that the arch would cause "adverse effects" on its setting and views, but asserted these impacts could not be fully avoided due to the project's intended location.