Trump's Triumphal Arch clears major hurdle after administration makes unusual move on review

WASHINGTON, DC: The 250-foot-tall Triumphal Arch, which was originally presented as a monumental tribute marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, has cleared a major roadblock as the Trump admin will end a key part of a review to evade the federal historic preservation law.

Officially envisioned as the "Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck," the structure is planned for Memorial Circle on Columbia Island.

Agency ends review process and clears arch's biggest hurdle

Section 106 of the review usually requires independent groups that have an interest or expertise in historical preservation matters related to a project to sign off.  

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the federal agency charged with overseeing the review, on Thursday, September 24, said that it would terminate the consulting process, essentially giving up on reaching an agreement.

The agency, in a letter to the Interior Department announcing the move, said the consulting parties would be invited to “participate in a meeting with the ACHP to verbally provide their comment” before asking the Interior secretary for “a final decision on the undertaking.”

What ending the review means for the arch's timeline

The move clears a major hurdle for Trump’s arch, but it could also lead to lawsuits over whether the review can legally be ended.

The decision also shows that the administration wants to move quickly with the project despite objections from experts, legal concerns and public criticism. The move could put the arch on track for final approval in early November.

Several groups involved in the review immediately criticized the decision. They told CNN they were not given enough time to review the plan and provide their input.

“This truly is boundary-busting,” said Charles Birnbaum of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, a DC-based nonprofit which is among the parties. The administration’s position that “somehow there has been a process is an outright lie,” he said.

The consulting parties include experts, state preservation officers and local authorities. They were given only two meetings for the Section 106 review.

Such reviews usually take several months for projects as large as the proposed arch. The latest meeting, held in early September, ended without an agreement. The groups said they needed more information before they could reach a decision.

Triumphal Arch to be converted into military complex

Trump on Sunday, September 20, wrote a Truth Social post that, after a request from the military, he has decided to convert the “magnificent” Triumphal Arch into a military complex.

He said the change was being made for national security purposes.

Trump said the facility would house and rapidly deploy drones, provide sniper positions on its roof and plaza, and store quantities of sniper ammunition.