Construction on Trump’s beloved arch could start in just a few weeks, court documents reveal

Construction on President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot victory arch could break ground in just two weeks, shortly after Election Day, according to court documents.In a court filing Wednesday, the Department of Justice said that the National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to meet November 5 to consider approving the final plans. The Department of Interior and the National Parks Service could then issue authorization.“NPS may publish such notice as early as November 5, 2026, and construction could commence as early as November 5, 2026,” the Justice Department said. The court filing comes as a federal judge considers whether to halt construction in response to a lawsuit.The proposed monument, which echoes the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, is set to be erected in Memorial Circle, located across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. Plans indicate it will include gilded statues and an observation deck, with the words “One nation under God” emblazoned across its white stone facade.Trump said last month that the arch would also double as a “top grade Military Complex,” but plans released last week by the administration do not appear to include a national security purpose.Construction on President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot arch could start in just a few weeks, according to court documents (@RealDonaldTrump, Truth Social)The president has said the towering monument is meant to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But when asked by a journalist last year who the arch was for, he replied: “Me — it's going to be beautiful.”At 250 feet, the arch would eclipse the U.S. Capitol Building, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House and even the Arc de Triomphe. “I'd like it to be the biggest one of all,” Trump told reporters in February. “We're the biggest, most powerful nation.”It’s unclear how much the project will cost. The White House has said it will likely rely on both private and public funds, according to The New York Times. The National Endowment for the Humanities has set aside $15 million. The proposed arch has sparked debate since Trump unveiled plans to build it last October. Several lawsuits have been filed to stop the monument from being erected, including one by a group of Vietnam veterans. They argue the arch lacks the required congressional approval and would obstruct views of Arlington National Cemetery, where over 400,000 people are buried.Democrats have derided the construction effort as a vanity project, and a number of protests have been held in Memorial CircleDemocrats have derided the construction effort as a vanity project, and a number of protests have been held in Memorial Circle.According to an April Ipsos survey, 52 percent of Americans oppose the arch, while 21 percent favor it.If built, the riverside monument would join a growing list of construction and restoration projects undertaken by Trump in Washington, D.C., including his $400 million White House ballroom and the Trump-Kennedy Center renovations.