Trump’s Washington Arch Project Faces Further Review Over Height and Design Concerns

President Donald Trump’s proposal to build a 250-foot arch in Washington, D.C., is set for another round of review as federal planners consider whether the project complies with regulations designed to protect the capital’s historic skyline.

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is scheduled to discuss the proposal during its meeting on Thursday. While agency staff have recommended preliminary approval of the project, they also say the design should be revised before receiving final authorization.

According to a 185-page staff report, the proposed monument must be adjusted to meet the requirements of the federal Height of Buildings Act, which restricts the height of structures in downtown Washington to preserve the city’s distinctive skyline and historic views.

Planning staff said the overall height of the project could remain at Trump’s proposed 250 feet if designers redistribute the height between the main arch, the rooftop observation area and the three planned gilded statues that would sit on top of the structure.

The report also calls for additional information on several aspects of the proposal, including traffic management around the site, the use of granite as the primary exterior material and other design elements before the Interior Department returns for final approval.

Trump has proposed building the monument on a traffic circle located at the Virginia end of Memorial Bridge, directly across from the Lincoln Memorial. The project would feature a public observation deck along with decorative statues positioned above the arch.

The proposal has already cleared one regulatory hurdle after the US Commission of Fine Arts approved the design in May. That body evaluates the appearance of major federal projects, while the National Capital Planning Commission oversees development on federal land in the nation’s capital.

Critics argue the monument would significantly alter one of Washington’s most recognizable landscapes. Opponents say its size would interrupt carefully planned sightlines connecting the Lincoln Memorial with Arlington National Cemetery, a visual axis intended to symbolize national unity following the Civil War.

Despite those objections, the project has continued moving through the approval process. The planning commission includes several members appointed during the Trump administration, including White House aide Will Scharf, who serves as its chairman.

Legal challenges are also underway. A group of military veterans and a historian have filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to halt construction, arguing that the project would damage the historic character of the area.

If completed, the monument would stand more than twice the height of the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and reach nearly half the height of the 555-foot Washington Monument, making it one of the tallest structures in the capital outside existing landmarks.

Trump previously suggested the project could be financed using private donations raised for a planned $400 million White House ballroom. However, administration officials have since indicated that public funds will also be used for both the ballroom and the proposed arch. The White House has not released an estimated construction cost for the monument.