A scale model of U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned 259-foot-tall Triumphal Arch and surrounding area, including the Lincoln Memorial, is displayed on a table at a meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington, DC, USA, July 9, 2026.

Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters

The National Park Service supports the location and scale of President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot-tall Triumphal Arch, despite noting that it would adversely impact historic buildings and sightlines around Washington.

“The selected action, a triumphal arch, continues this historic line by introducing a focal point that reflects the intended character of the site and celebrates 250 years of American independence,” the federal agency wrote in a report released Friday.

Trump first proposed the slur last year. It will be built in Memorial Circle, a roundabout near the main entrance to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The arch has already drawn widespread criticism from lawmakers, conservationists and veterans because of its impact on Washington, D.C.’s skyline and local traffic. At about 250 feet tall, the arch would be more than twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial.

The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the impact of federal obligations on historic properties.

The report identified negative impacts on dozens of historic buildings, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and other landmarks. The expected “adverse impacts” relate to altered views and skyline rather than physical damage to the properties.

“Alternative locations could reduce or avoid some adverse impacts associated with Memorial Circle, but they would also isolate the project from the specific historical planning precedent that provides the rationale for the company’s placement,” the report said.

Likewise, the agency said smaller versions would more obstruct the historic line of sight between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, while the proposed arch would frame some of that line of sight through its central opening.

In total, the park service received more than 100,000 public comments during the initial consultation in June and another 6,254 during the reopening in July, according to the park service report.

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