THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?
SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do).
- The administration says construction on Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch could begin as early as November 5.
- The National Capital Planning Commission must consider the plans and Interior Department authorization is also needed.
- Opponents are pursuing litigation over the project’s location, legality and effect on Washington’s historic landscape.
LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time).
Donald Trump has never been one to commission a modest little monument and call it a day.
His administration told a federal judge this week that construction on a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington could begin as soon as November 5 — just two days after the midterms. The date isn’t a promise of bulldozers arriving. It depends on the National Capital Planning Commission’s action and final Interior Department authorization.
The proposed structure would stand near the Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery. Supporters envision a grand ceremonial landmark; preservation advocates worry about how such a towering structure would affect a carefully designed historic landscape.
A legal challenge is already underway. Opponents argue that the administration has not satisfied the appropriate legal and approval requirements. A federal judge is being asked to prevent work from starting before the challenges receive full consideration.
The project had already produced an architectural mystery. As The Daily BS reported earlier, revised plans omitted the drones, sniper positions and other military components Trump had previously discussed. That left everyone asking whether the government was designing a ceremonial monument, a security installation or a little of both.
Now the calendar supplies a new hook. November 5 is the planning commission’s expected meeting date. According to the government’s filing, if the remaining approvals fall into place, construction might start on that same date.
Approval and construction remain contingent, and litigation could affect the schedule. But one thing is clear: this is no longer just a rendering for a presidential wish list. It has a proposed height, a proposed site and a potential start date. Washington’s next argument may come with hard hats.
DBS WIRE SOURCES (I’ve got all day).
- CNN — Arch construction could begin November 5
- Associated Press — Opponents seek injunction
- National Capital Planning Commission — Public projects
- The Daily BS — Arch blueprints omit drones and sniper features
