Trump Administration Announces Arch Excavation to Begin Within Weeks

Excavation work for President Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot triumphal arch will begin over the next two weeks, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced.

This announcement comes despite the project not having final approval from a key agency. Burgum stated on social media Thursday that they are preparing to start, over the next two-week period, the excavation work necessary for the Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck, at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

He described it as one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture, honoring the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and befitting the most powerful Capital in the World. The arch is planned to be 250 feet tall, making it taller than Paris's Arc de Triomphe, London's Wellington Arch, and Rome's Arch of Constantine. It would also be more than twice as tall as the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial.

Trump first unveiled plans for what was initially called the "Independence Arch" in October 2025, evolving into the United States Triumphal Arch. It is designed as a monumental gateway celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence. Current renderings show a granite-clad arch topped by gilded statuary and an observation deck, with "ONE NATION UNDER GOD" stamped on it.

The project is expected to be privately funded. In July, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) voted to approve the preliminary site and building plans after hearing public testimony against the project. NCPC agency staff had recommended initial approval but also revisions to comply with the Height of Buildings Act, a century-old federal law restricting building heights in Washington, D.C. The commission has not yet approved the final design for the arch and is expected to take up the matter again this fall, with its next meeting scheduled for October 1.