Trump's DC Arch Gets Preliminary Approval

President Donald Trump's plan to build a 250-foot triumphal arch on United States — Memorial Bridge's Virginia side received preliminary approval from the United States — National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) on July 9, 2026. The commission voted 8-1-3 to approve preliminary site and building plans, but deferred a decision on whether the Height of Buildings Act applies. Chairman Will Scharf, a Trump appointee, led the vote. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts had approved the design in May. Opponents, including veterans and a historian, have sued to block construction, arguing the arch would disrupt the United States — Lincoln Memorial-United States — Arlington National Cemetery sightline. The arch would be over twice as tall as the United States — Lincoln Memorial and nearly half the height of the United States — Washington Monument. Funding sources remain unclear; Trump claimed private donations but some public money may be used.