• Analysis
DoJ says Trump's proposed 250ft arch would be finished only after his term ends
The US justice department said on Tuesday that the trump 250ft arch proposed for the nation's capital would not be completed until after the end of Donald Trump's second term, with total construction expected to take 33 to 39 months.
A 33-to-39-month build near Arlington
The justice department said on Tuesday that the proposed arch would not be finished until after the end of Trump's second term. The first six to eight months would be devoted to excavation and foundation work, and that phase could begin as soon as Thursday. Above-ground construction would follow no earlier than May 2027, with the entire build anticipated to run 33 to 39 months.
The structure is modelled on Paris's Arc de Triomphe and is planned for a site near Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington.
Approvals and the court fight
Thursday could also bring decisions on the project itself. The National Capital Planning Commission is set to meet that day to approve it, and the Department of the Interior said in a court filing it may issue a final approval decision then. The National Park Service may also issue a permit or other authorization on Thursday, according to the department.
Approval would not end the legal battle. On Saturday, Virginia and the District of Columbia sued the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior to halt the start of construction, calling it "legally indefensible" and arguing that Congress has not approved the project. Separately, several veterans have sued to block the arch, arguing it would destroy the historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The government has urged US judge Tanya Chutkan in the District of Columbia to reject the effort to stop construction.
Safety arguments over drones and flights
Defending the project, the government argued that the arch's location and height could be used to defend the capital from evolving threats such as drones. Critics, meanwhile, raised fears about its proximity to Ronald Reagan Washington national airport and its position within the airport's main approach and departure corridors. In its aviation safety review, the Federal Aviation Administration found the arch did not pose aviation safety risks, saying it will include an eternal flame and floodlight projectors to make it noticeable for pilots.
