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A rendering released by the US Commission of Fine Arts of plans for a 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington.
(Image: US Commission of Fine Arts)
'No Legal Basis' to Begin Excavation for Trump 'Vanity Arch' in DC, Say Critics
"Donald Trump boasted aloud that his sole intent for building this arch is to honor himself," said Congressman Don Beyer, calling for ramped-up opposition to the project.
Sep 04, 2026
Government watchdogs and opposition lawmakers in Congress are calling foul once again on President Donald Trump's plans for another "vanity project" in Washington, DC after his Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum announced Thursday that—despite the lack of legal authority—excavation would soon begin on a white and gold arch built to honor Trump in heart of the nation's capital.
“The administration has no legal authority to begin work on its monumental arch," said Nicolas Sansone, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group—currently representing plaintiffs in a suit to block the project—following Burgum's announcement, made via social media.
"By law, the administration cannot proceed with this project unless and until Congress authorizes construction," added Sansone. "And even the administration appears to recognize that the arch requires authorization from the National Capital Planning Commission, which it has not received. Even under the administration’s own view of the law, then, the preparatory work that Secretary Burgum has announced has no legal basis.”
"Even Doug Burgum, in his heart, knows that this is immoral and disrespectful to America’s fallen heroes. All of us who oppose it must stand up and redouble our efforts to stop this monstrosity.”
In his post, Burgum said the arch would "be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture" ever constructing, one “befitting the most powerful Capital in the World." But critics have said since the outset that a statue of this size in this area of DC would negatively impact other memorials and that any project of this magnitude would have to go through the proper process, including approval of Congress and the permitting with various federal authorities.
According to the Associated Press:
The proposed arch is one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave his lasting imprint on Washington, including renaming and renovating the Kennedy Center, building a huge new White House ballroom, refurbishing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and rebuilding a golf course in East Potomac Park that could significantly reduce the public’s access to running and biking paths.
While a National Park Service report released last week offered its backing of the project, it acknowledged, AP noted, that "there would be adverse effects to the sightlines between a host of iconic landmarks, disrupting the historical significance of dozens of nearby sites."
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who represents the district just outside DC that includes Arlington National Cemetery, decried the proposed arch as an "illegal, gridlock-increasing, narcissistic" project that the National Park Service has stated would disrupt the cemetery and impede local traffic.
“This project is not even close to being ready for prime time. The administration has not won the legal battle over the proposal, which is plainly illegal without congressional authorization. They have not responded to or addressed my warnings about how construction would significantly increase traffic problems across the region," Beyer said in a statement on Thursday.
"Trump boasted aloud that his sole intent for building this arch is to honor himself," Beyer added. "Even Doug Burgum, in his heart, knows that this is immoral and disrespectful to America’s fallen heroes. All of us who oppose it must stand up and redouble our efforts to stop this monstrosity.”
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Government watchdogs and opposition lawmakers in Congress are calling foul once again on President Donald Trump's plans for another "vanity project" in Washington, DC after his Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum announced Thursday that—despite the lack of legal authority—excavation would soon begin on a white and gold arch built to honor Trump in heart of the nation's capital.
“The administration has no legal authority to begin work on its monumental arch," said Nicolas Sansone, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group—currently representing plaintiffs in a suit to block the project—following Burgum's announcement, made via social media.
"By law, the administration cannot proceed with this project unless and until Congress authorizes construction," added Sansone. "And even the administration appears to recognize that the arch requires authorization from the National Capital Planning Commission, which it has not received. Even under the administration’s own view of the law, then, the preparatory work that Secretary Burgum has announced has no legal basis.”
"Even Doug Burgum, in his heart, knows that this is immoral and disrespectful to America’s fallen heroes. All of us who oppose it must stand up and redouble our efforts to stop this monstrosity.”
In his post, Burgum said the arch would "be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture" ever constructing, one “befitting the most powerful Capital in the World." But critics have said since the outset that a statue of this size in this area of DC would negatively impact other memorials and that any project of this magnitude would have to go through the proper process, including approval of Congress and the permitting with various federal authorities.
According to the Associated Press:
The proposed arch is one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave his lasting imprint on Washington, including renaming and renovating the Kennedy Center, building a huge new White House ballroom, refurbishing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and rebuilding a golf course in East Potomac Park that could significantly reduce the public’s access to running and biking paths.
While a National Park Service report released last week offered its backing of the project, it acknowledged, AP noted, that "there would be adverse effects to the sightlines between a host of iconic landmarks, disrupting the historical significance of dozens of nearby sites."
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who represents the district just outside DC that includes Arlington National Cemetery, decried the proposed arch as an "illegal, gridlock-increasing, narcissistic" project that the National Park Service has stated would disrupt the cemetery and impede local traffic.
“This project is not even close to being ready for prime time. The administration has not won the legal battle over the proposal, which is plainly illegal without congressional authorization. They have not responded to or addressed my warnings about how construction would significantly increase traffic problems across the region," Beyer said in a statement on Thursday.
"Trump boasted aloud that his sole intent for building this arch is to honor himself," Beyer added. "Even Doug Burgum, in his heart, knows that this is immoral and disrespectful to America’s fallen heroes. All of us who oppose it must stand up and redouble our efforts to stop this monstrosity.”
Government watchdogs and opposition lawmakers in Congress are calling foul once again on President Donald Trump's plans for another "vanity project" in Washington, DC after his Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum announced Thursday that—despite the lack of legal authority—excavation would soon begin on a white and gold arch built to honor Trump in heart of the nation's capital.
“The administration has no legal authority to begin work on its monumental arch," said Nicolas Sansone, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group—currently representing plaintiffs in a suit to block the project—following Burgum's announcement, made via social media.
"By law, the administration cannot proceed with this project unless and until Congress authorizes construction," added Sansone. "And even the administration appears to recognize that the arch requires authorization from the National Capital Planning Commission, which it has not received. Even under the administration’s own view of the law, then, the preparatory work that Secretary Burgum has announced has no legal basis.”
"Even Doug Burgum, in his heart, knows that this is immoral and disrespectful to America’s fallen heroes. All of us who oppose it must stand up and redouble our efforts to stop this monstrosity.”
In his post, Burgum said the arch would "be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture" ever constructing, one “befitting the most powerful Capital in the World." But critics have said since the outset that a statue of this size in this area of DC would negatively impact other memorials and that any project of this magnitude would have to go through the proper process, including approval of Congress and the permitting with various federal authorities.
According to the Associated Press:
The proposed arch is one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave his lasting imprint on Washington, including renaming and renovating the Kennedy Center, building a huge new White House ballroom, refurbishing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and rebuilding a golf course in East Potomac Park that could significantly reduce the public’s access to running and biking paths.
While a National Park Service report released last week offered its backing of the project, it acknowledged, AP noted, that "there would be adverse effects to the sightlines between a host of iconic landmarks, disrupting the historical significance of dozens of nearby sites."
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who represents the district just outside DC that includes Arlington National Cemetery, decried the proposed arch as an "illegal, gridlock-increasing, narcissistic" project that the National Park Service has stated would disrupt the cemetery and impede local traffic.
“This project is not even close to being ready for prime time. The administration has not won the legal battle over the proposal, which is plainly illegal without congressional authorization. They have not responded to or addressed my warnings about how construction would significantly increase traffic problems across the region," Beyer said in a statement on Thursday.
"Trump boasted aloud that his sole intent for building this arch is to honor himself," Beyer added. "Even Doug Burgum, in his heart, knows that this is immoral and disrespectful to America’s fallen heroes. All of us who oppose it must stand up and redouble our efforts to stop this monstrosity.”
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