Design and Construction Report staff writer
Construction of a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., could begin as early as Nov. 5, following a series of design approvals and amid a legal challenge over whether U.S. President Donald Trump has the authority to build the monument without congressional approval.
Trump’s lawyers outlined the potential construction start date in an Oct. 21 court filing in the District Court for the District of Columbia, according to USA Today.
The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the final site and building plans on Nov. 5. The U.S. Department of the Interior must also issue a final decision authorizing construction, according to the court documents.
Trump announced the proposed arch in October 2025 as part of plans to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. The project could cost about US$100 million, Axios reported.
Three military veterans and a retired architectural historian filed a lawsuit in February seeking to stop construction, arguing that the project requires congressional approval and must comply with other legal and procedural requirements.
The lawsuit names Trump, his executive office, Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley and the National Park Service as defendants.
Trump has said the monument would surpass Paris’s Arc de Triomphe in size and grandeur.
“We’re doing one that will be more magnificent and larger than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris,” Trump said in a February interview with NBC. “It’s incredible. We’re going to do one that’s going to top it.”
The proposal was first presented at an Oct. 15, 2025, dinner for donors to Trump’s planned White House ballroom project. Diagrams and models displayed at the event identified the structure as the Independence Arch, according to the lawsuit.
Trump initially intended to have the monument completed by July 4, 2026, the country’s 250th anniversary.
The president has since submitted plans and obtained approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, which review proposed construction and design projects in Washington.
The latest court filing identifies Nov. 5 as the date the administration intends to seek approval of the final plans.
The proposed arch would stand at Memorial Circle, where the Arlington Memorial Bridge, Memorial Avenue and Washington Boulevard meet. The site is between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, a historic property within Arlington National Cemetery.
The lawsuit argues that the monument would interfere with the historic relationship between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, the former residence of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.
The Arlington Memorial Bridge was intended to connect the two landmarks and symbolize national reconciliation following the Civil War, the plaintiffs said.
The proposed arch would obstruct views between the sites, disrupting that historic connection, according to the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs have also raised concerns about aviation safety, arguing that the structure’s height could pose a risk to aircraft using Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. They allege that required plans and documentation have not been submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Plans published by the National Capital Planning Commission describe a structure measuring 250 feet high and 166 feet wide, with an opening 55 feet wide.
The arch would be built from reinforced concrete clad in granite. Its design includes a winged figure holding a torch at the top, with an eagle above each of the structure’s two supporting legs.
The monument would have three levels: a ground floor for security screening and service functions, a gallery level with exhibit space and public amenities, and an observation deck offering views of nearby landmarks.
The gallery level could include a café and gift shop, according to the plans.
Six stairways and five elevators are proposed, along with exterior lighting intended to illuminate the monument at night.
The National Park Service released a report outlining the project in August.
The lawsuit, filed Feb. 19, seeks to prevent the administration from proceeding without meeting the applicable legal requirements. The court filing outlining the potential construction timeline comes as the administration moves toward a decision on the final plans.
