Excavation work is set to begin within the next two weeks on a 250-foot memorial arch in Washington, D.C., a project championed by the Trump administration that is currently facing a lawsuit from opponents concerned about its impact on historic sightlines. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced Thursday that work would commence on the Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck, planned for Columbia Island between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
"This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture, honoring the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and befitting the most powerful Capital in the World," Burgum stated on X, accompanied by renderings of the proposed structure. The mock-ups depict a white arch with gold detailing, inscribed with "ONE NATION UNDER GOD." A winged Lady Liberty-like figure holding a torch and eagles with spread wings are featured atop the arch.
The project has drawn opposition from three veterans and an architectural historian, who argue that congressional authorization is required and has not been secured. Nicolas Sansone, an attorney with the Public Citizen Litigation Group representing the plaintiffs, told The Associated Press that "construction cannot and should not proceed apace, and we are prepared to inform the court that it needs to, at this juncture, step in."
A National Park Service report released last month, which supports the arch concept, acknowledged that the project would have "direct and indirect adverse effects on the sight lines of historic properties."
Burgum defended the project, noting in posts on X that the concept for a monumental arch has roots in past discussions and that over 70 cities worldwide feature such structures. He pointed out that Washington, D.C. is the only major Western capital without an arch. "Now after 125 years of waiting, the most powerful capital in the world will be the home of the most spectacular and beautiful arch of them all!" he wrote.
The Triumphal Arch project is one of several initiatives associated with the Trump administration, which also included renaming the Kennedy Center, constructing a new White House ballroom, and refurbishing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.