President Donald Trump's proposed 'Triumphal Arch' received approval this week from a key planning commission, but the project could still encounter a significant obstacle from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aviation authority is currently conducting a review to determine whether the massive structure, which will reach 279 feet at its highest point, poses a hazard to air traffic.
Location and Airspace Concerns
The gilded arch, inspired by Paris's Arc de Triomphe, is slated to be built less than two miles from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and approximately one mile from the Pentagon's helipad. This area ranks among the nation's busiest air corridors, where pilots must adhere to strict flight restrictions. It was also the site of a tragic crash in January 2025 involving an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines commercial flight, resulting in 67 fatalities.
On Friday, an FAA spokesperson declined to provide an update on the timeline for the review. However, the FAA confirmed to the Daily Mail that it had received a request for an 'aeronautical study of a proposed monumental arch' and had initiated the 'standard obstruction evaluation process.' Any structure exceeding 200 feet in height automatically triggers this process. CNN reported earlier this month that such reviews typically take up to nine months, but the FAA indicated it plans to complete the assessment within 45 to 90 days.
Project Approval and Fast-Tracking
The arch project was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday, which fast-tracked it through the typical review process. Trump is pushing for rapid completion to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. One strategy involves using a 1925 Congressional plan for 166-foot columns and statues at the site, part of the broader Arlington Memorial Bridge project. Nothing was built in that traffic circle, leaving it available for Trump's project.
The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration planned to start work using a contract for engineering services on the White House grounds. Emails obtained by the Post showed Park Services acting director Jessica Bowron inquiring if her agency could extend a contract with AECOM Services for an environmental assessment of the arch project. She noted this would 'align with the Administration's timeline.' An hour later, Heather Martin, an official in the Executive Office of the President, responded affirmatively. It remains unclear if that contract was ultimately used, but workers and equipment were spotted at the site in mid-May.
An Interior Department spokesperson stated that any leaked correspondence was draft and deliberative, not a final determination.
Commission Approval and Public Opposition
The Commission of Fine Arts, which includes Trump allies and his 26-year-old executive assistant, approved the project on Thursday, bypassing a more thorough review. Despite suggestions to reduce the project's size by removing golden rooftop adornments, the commission approved it at full height but removed four golden lions from the design. The commission ignored approximately 600 public comments, with only three expressing positive views, according to Archinect. The same group had similarly fast-tracked Trump's ballroom project.
The National Capital Planning Commission, another federal review body, will consider the arch project at its June meeting. That group is also stacked with Trump allies and chaired by White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf. They previously pushed through Trump's ballroom despite widespread public opposition.
Legal Challenges
A lawsuit over the arch is pending. A group of Vietnam War veterans is seeking to block the project, arguing it would obstruct the view of Arlington National Cemetery from the Lincoln Memorial. During Memorial Day, Trump encountered anti-arch protesters while motorcading to Arlington National Cemetery.
