Trump’s 250-foot arch wins approval from planning commission stacked with allies

Updated on: November 5, 2026 / 10:42 PM EST / CBS News

Washington — The National Capital Planning Commission voted Thursday to approve plans for President Trump's 250-foot triumphal arch, giving the final go-ahead for the monument that's set to be constructed between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The NCPC, which acts as the federal government's planning agency for the region and is stacked with Trump allies, voted 8-4 to greenlight the project after almost 9 hours of public comments from members of Congress, veterans, architects and Washington, D.C., and Virginia residents.

It's unclear how soon construction of the arch could start, though the Justice Department said in a court filing last month that it could begin as soon as Thursday. A court challenge in Washington could delay the Trump administration's plans.

In a separate filing Wednesday night, the Trump administration said that a construction company "may be — but is not necessarily — arranging off-site preparations for construction mobilization in anticipation of permit approval" at the site.

Ahead of the meeting, the NCPC's executive director, Mark Paoletta, recommended approval of the final site and building plans for the structure, which is supposed to celebrate 250 years of…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/