Federal documents lay out how the proposed 250-foot “Arc de Trump” on Memorial Circle in Arlington could be built in seven phases over a two- to three-year window, including year-round, around-the-clock work, traffic changes, and a timed-entry visitor system.
By the time the first tower crane shows up on Memorial Circle, the fight over Donald Trump’s proposed “Triumphal Arch” may already be underway.
National Park Service documents describe a detailed plan for building the 250-foot structure—dubbed the “Arc de Trump”—on the Virginia end of Arlington Memorial Bridge. near Washington. D.C. and Arlington National Cemetery. The goal in those filings is to finish the arch within the next two to three years. with work scheduled year-round. 20 hours a day. and 10-hour shifts.
The administration wants the project to move fast. To do it, the documents lay out a construction operation that would use several tower cranes, forklifts, skid steers, drill rigs, and concrete pumping systems—plus staged deliveries that could bring 80 to 100 truck loads per day.
The arch itself would rise in three levels: a ground floor designed for security screening; a mezzanine that would include restrooms. with the possibility of a café and gift shop; and an observation deck expected to feature a vertical circulation lobby and an exterior deck. Per the documents reviewed in reporting. the finished structure would be reinforced concrete clad in granite. ornamented with a central winged figure and two eagles.
A seven-phase build designed for speed
The documents say construction would proceed in seven phases: site excavation; foundation and support of excavation; structural concrete; recast cladding; statue placement and ceiling installation; landscapes and hardscapes and site restoration.
To limit disruption around the site once construction begins. the agency estimates the construction area at roughly 45. 000 square feet south of where the arch would be. with an additional 80. 000 square feet designated for parking. It also describes a truck plan that could involve 20 to 30 construction trucks transporting roughly 80 to 100 loads per day. with trucks staged within the south project staging lot.
Traffic signals are also part of the plan. The agency’s documents say it intends to install traffic signals within and around Memorial Circle, while acknowledging that short-term closures and detours would be needed to accommodate construction after work starts.
Visitors, when it’s open, would not just stroll in. The documents describe a managed timed-entry system similar to the one used at the Washington Monument. Tickets would be available online or on-site, with visitors assigned entry times. Once inside. people would enter a queue. proceed to the screening area on the ground floor. and then be allowed into the structure’s public area until their designated exit time.
The plan meets legal resistance
As the construction timeline firmed up in federal planning materials, the project has also run into a lawsuit filed by four veterans in February.
The plaintiffs—Michael Lemmon. Shaun Byrnes. Jon Gundersen. and Calder Loth—argue that building the arch without congressional approval would violate the Commemorative Works Act of 1986. The law lays out a multi-step process for authorizing. designing. and siting commemorative works. including monuments. sculptures. or memorials in Washington. D.C. the lawsuit states.
The complaint also alleges that the arch would disrupt landscape views, could pose a hazard to air travel at Reagan National Airport, and would obstruct traffic. The filing notes that Memorial Circle is often part of the funeral procession to Arlington National Cemetery.
The lawsuit says the arch would also change a major sightline between two historic sites. “With the erection of the Arch. Arlington House will no longer be visible from the Lincoln Memorial. and the view of the Lincoln Memorial from Arlington House will be obscured. disrupting the historic andsymbolic link between the two. ” the lawsuit states.
A promise of a more accessible visitor experience
President Donald Trump first announced plans to build the arch last year to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary.
In an emailed statement to reporting on June 10. the Department of the Interior said the arch would “enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans. the families of the fallen. and all Americans alike. ” calling it “a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250-year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today.”.
The dispute over the project now sits beside the detailed timetable: work outlined as relentless—year-round. 20 hours a day—and a visitor plan that anticipates organized entry once construction is complete. For those who believe the arch should not proceed without congressional approval. the question is no longer only when it will be built. but whether it should be built at all—especially at a site where views. processions. and symbolism are tightly woven into daily operations at the cemetery.
Trump arch Arc de Trump Triumphal Arch National Park Service documents Arlington Memorial Bridge Memorial Circle Arlington National Cemetery Commemorative Works Act of 1986 Reagan National Airport timed-entry construction timeline Department of the Interior statement