Commission approves preliminary plans for Trump arch, warns it needs revisions for final approval

The National Capital Planning Commission voted Thursday to preliminarily approve President Donald Trump's plans for a grand Triumphal Arch near the Lincoln Memorial, but warned that it'll need structural revisions to earn final approval.

The president last year proposed the 250-foot arch that would feature a 166-foot mezzanine and 24-foot observation level, with a 60-foot statue of Lady Liberty on top, if approved. But the commission said the proposal would violate the 1910 Heights of Buildings Act, which seeks to preserve the Washington, D.C. skyline by limiting buildings to 130 feet.

The commission recommended that the Interior Department, which will oversee the project, reduce the mezzanine and observation level to 130 feet and 20 feet, respectively, and place the additional 40 feet on the statue instead.

The department has pushed back on the scale of the arch, stating that the 1910 law does not apply to federal buildings, according to CBS News. But the commission has maintained that it "has historically held that the Height of Buildings Act is binding on federal buildings, and NCPC has consistently applied that position."

The commission also told planners to abide by any recommendations from the Federal Aviation Administration given the arch's proximity to the Ronald Reagan National Airport and to revise plans for pedestrian accessibility and lighting.

The arch, which will stand between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, is just one of several beautification projects the president has proposed in the nation's capital. Trump is also overseeing the remodel of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and has ordered the construction of a new ballroom on the White House grounds.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.