Arch vote: Commission approves Trump's 250-foot monument for Memorial Circle

Construction on a 250-foot arch in Washington, D.C., is expected to begin immediately following a vote by the National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday. The structure will be located in Memorial Circle, positioned between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The commission, whose members are largely Trump appointees, is likely to approve the project. This decision comes despite a public hearing where residents voiced opposition to the massive construction. Mark Paoletta, the commission chairman and Office of Management and Budget general counsel, called the delay in building such a memorial a national disgrace.

Paoletta praised the project as the grandest arch ever built by mankind. He noted that the design celebrates the nation’s 250th anniversary. The final plans submitted to the commission do not include the military complex with drones and snipers that the president previously said would be important for national security.

Opponents are seeking an emergency court order to halt construction. The governments of Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit last week, arguing the project violates federal statutes. They contend the arch defies at least five federal laws, including a rule that limits building heights in the District to 130 feet.

The 250-foot structure would exceed that height limit almost twice over. The suit argues the location disrupts operations for both jurisdictions and requires substantial resources to mitigate impacts. The arch sits on a busy traffic circle at the center of a historic viewshed and near a river under District protection.

Preservationists and military veterans filed the initial suit earlier this year. They argued the project lacked Congressional authorization and used an improper site. Their filings stated that the location obstructs a line of sight designed to represent national unification after the Civil War.

The administration counters that the city and state lack standing to sue. It claims Congress authorized the project about a century ago by approving 166-foot-tall columns with statues that exceeded height limits. The administration notes those columns have not yet been built.

Attorneys for the city and state called the administration's argument implausible. They said the columns were initially planned for Memorial Bridge before the idea was dropped. Their filings state the Memorial Bridge Act does not mention an arch.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has asked to be notified after the commission’s vote. The legal battle aims to prevent the administration from citing security risks and altered status quo arguments once construction starts.