Justice Department Says Trump Arch Won't Finish Until After Term Ends

The U.S. Department of Justice told a federal court Tuesday that a planned 250-foot triumphal arch championed by President Donald Trump would not be finished before his second term ends, according to filings reported by The Guardian.

The arch is modeled on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It is planned for a site near Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

Where would the arch be built?

The site sits just across the river from the capital, near one of the most visited veterans' cemeteries in the country. That location is central to the legal fight now underway, since several veterans have sued to stop the project. They argue the arch would block the historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, the Guardian reported.

How long would construction take?

According to the Justice Department's court filing, total construction is expected to run 33 to 39 months once it begins. That timeline would push completion well past the end of Trump's current term.

When could work start?

The department said excavation and foundation work could begin as soon as Thursday and would likely take six to eight months. Above-ground construction would not start until May 2027 at the earliest, the filing said.

Two federal bodies are expected to act this week. The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to meet Thursday to vote on approving the project. The Department of the Interior told the court it may issue a final decision the same day, and the National Park Service said it may also issue a construction permit Thursday, according to the Guardian's report.

Who is suing to block the project?

The arch faces two separate legal challenges. Virginia and the District of Columbia sued the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior on Saturday, seeking to halt construction before it starts. Their lawsuit calls the project "legally indefensible" and argues Congress never approved it, the Guardian reported.

A separate group of veterans has also sued, focused on the sightline issue near Arlington National Cemetery.

The Justice Department has urged U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington to reject efforts to stop construction. The government argued the arch's height and position could serve a defensive purpose for the capital against modern threats, according to court filings cited by the Guardian.

What happens Thursday?

Thursday is the key date to watch. The planning commission's vote, combined with possible sign-offs from Interior and the Park Service, could clear the way for excavation crews to move in immediately — unless Judge Chutkan grants the request from Virginia and D.C. to pause the project first.

By the numbers

• 250 feet: proposed height of the arch
• 6 to 8 months: expected length of initial excavation and foundation work
• May 2027: earliest possible start for above-ground construction
• 33 to 39 months: total construction timeline estimated by the Justice Department

Residents near Arlington and commuters who use the Potomac-adjacent roadways would see the most immediate disruption if excavation begins this week, based on the government's own construction schedule filed with the court.