Federal Panel Nears Final Approval for Trump’s 250-Foot Arch as Court and Congress Threaten It
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Nov 5
Federal Panel Nears Final Approval for Trump’s 250-Foot Arch as Court and Congress Threaten It
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 5
Summary
Thursday’s expected vote by the National Capital Planning Commission would clear Trump’s 250-foot triumphal arch for construction that the administration says could start almost immediately.
A federal judge is weighing whether to halt the project over claims it bypassed congressional approval and other laws, creating a direct legal threat even if the panel signs off.
131 people are signed up to testify, and opposition submitted to the commission has been almost uniformly negative, with critics saying the arch would mar the solemn setting near Arlington National Cemetery.
Democrats, buoyed by a landslide midterm win Tuesday and set to control both chambers in January, are threatening to block or kill the project as part of a broader backlash to Trump’s priorities.