Interior Submits Final Triumphal Arch Plans to Planning Commission: 250-Foot Arch With Eternal Flame, Review Set for Nov. 5

The U.S. Department of the Interior has submitted its final plans for President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch, referred to in the plans as the Monumental Arch, to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) for review, including updated traffic and lighting plans. The commission is scheduled to meet on November 5 to review the plans for final approval, according to the NCPC project summary.

Under the final plan, the arch would stand 250 feet tall, topped by a golden winged statue resembling the Statue of Liberty and holding a torch that would serve as an "eternal flame." The Interior Department says the design would make the flame visible from all angles, including at night, while maintaining visual comfort for drivers, visitors and the surrounding environment, according to the NCPC summary. The placement of the flame is also required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following its safety review, so that the structure is visible to pilots; the FAA determined last month that the arch would not pose a hazard to aircraft in the area, after initially saying the arch would require red obstruction lights. Other changes in the final plan include the removal of 15 traffic signal posts that were initially proposed and changes to traffic circulation routes. The plan also states that environmental and historical considerations were reviewed by relevant government agencies and determined to have no significant impact.

The arch would be built on National Park Service land in Washington, D.C., at the foot of Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River, near the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Memorial Bridge. Trump first announced the project in October 2025. The NCPC approved preliminary plans in July 2026 while requesting additional information before final approval. According to planning documents released earlier by the Interior Department, the National Park Service plans construction to take place 20 hours per day over the next two to three years. Since its announcement, the project has faced legal and other challenges from parties opposed to its location and its asserted effect on surrounding views.

Trump previously said the arch would incorporate military features, including drones, snipers and ammunition, describing it as a top-grade military complex added at the Pentagon's request. The final plans submitted to the commission do not mention those features. A White House official, speaking to The Washington Post on condition of anonymity, said the president's plans had not changed and that the administration does not intend to publicly disclose information involving the project's national security functions at this stage. Interior Department spokesperson Katie Martin told The Hill that the current designs could accommodate the proposed national security functions and additional uses.

Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：拟建凯旋门选址一带：Arlington Memorial Bridge 与 Lincoln Memorial、Washington Monument（资料图）。图片：C5karl，CC BY-SA 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: The Arlington Memorial Bridge with the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, near the proposed arch site (file photo). Credit: C5karl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Latest in Federal

Rubio Takes Questions: Trump Has Not Decided on Striking Iran, and Putin's Attendance at the Miami Summit Is Unconfirmed2026-10-31NASA's Second Mars Simulation Ends: Four Volunteers Exit Houston Habitat After 378 Days2026-10-31