See USA TODAY visit site of President Trump’s proposed ‘Arc de Triomphe’
USA TODAY trends reporter Michelle Del Rey visits the site of the future Trump Arch in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s Arc de Triomphe received preliminary approval from a District of Columbia commission on June 9, allowing the controversial project to move forward despite fierce opposition from historic preservationists, architects and veterans.
The National Capital Planning Commission, made up of several Trump allies, approved the reserve site and construction plan for the Arch near Arlington National Cemetery by an 8-1 vote, with a final vote scheduled for September. Three members voted present.
In its final review, the commission will decide whether the 250-foot proposal can circumvent a federal law that limits building heights in Washington to 130 feet.
The preliminary vote came after a lengthy public hearing in which the project was roundly criticized. Opponents argued that the arch would block the line of sight between the nation’s largest and holiest cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. They argued that other locations in the city were more suitable.
Relatives of American soldiers buried in Arlington, including Gold Star’s mother, said the arch would take away the tranquility of the cemetery. Some expressed outrage at the speed with which Trump officials pushed through the proposal. Many said Arch’s only purpose was to satisfy the desires of one man, Trump.
“We commemorate and commemorate the regime with actions, not objects,” said Frederick Gottschalk of the veterans support group Common Defense.
Will Scharf, the Trump-appointed committee chairman and White House chief of staff, said the arch, which is more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial, would be a “fitting monument” to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
But Melissa Milhorn, one of about 30 people who spoke at the hearing, said she opposes the plan in part because the arc symbolizes ancient Rome’s transition from republic to empire, the opposite of American ideals.
“The lack of such an arch in Washington is not a flaw to be corrected, but a distinction to be maintained,” she said. “Think of the companions this arch maintains: Napoleon’s Paris, Mussolini’s Rome, Pyongyang, whose Arc de Triomphe honors Kim Il-sung.”
In response to one of the veterans’ concerns, Schaaf called for a mitigation plan to minimize the noise from construction of the arch that could be heard during graveside memorial services for fallen soldiers. “I’d like to see some kind of plan to ameliorate that particular concern, if it’s feasible,” Schaaf said.
Evan Cash, D.C. City Council representative and the only council member to vote against the arch, said it was clear that Congressional action was needed to circumvent the height limit set by federal law.
“I’m not going to vote for a plan that could have the effect of upending decades of NCPC practice and a framework as high as it was 100 years ago,” Cash said. “It’s all done without Congressional approval, and as far as I can tell, it’s a project that has only one true supporter, and that supporter is not Congress.”
The White House has not said how much the arch will cost. President Trump said he would pay for it with private funds, just as he has pledged private donations to us to cover the $400 million cost of the new ballroom being built on the White House grounds.
X Contact Joey Garrison at @joeygarrison.
