Work on Trump-backed Triumphal Arch will start in coming weeks, Burgum says
Updated on: September 3, 2026 / 10:41 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- Excavation for a 250-foot-tall triumphal arch near Arlington Memorial Cemetery will begin within two weeks.
- The project is championed by President Trump and is intended to honor the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
- Construction is expected to take two to three years, with an intense work schedule.
- Critics argue the arch will interfere with sightlines between D.C. monuments and Arlington Cemetery and may impact air traffic.
- A veterans' group has sued over the project, questioning the Trump administration's authority to build it.
- The National Park Service acknowledges potential adverse impacts but deems the location historically appropriate.