Trump DC arch monument controversy 2026
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Judge signals Trump pressure campaign could sink Reflecting Pool case
Judge Todd Edelman pressed prosecutor Michael Spence on why prosecutors would object to dismissing the case with prejudice given no evidence suggesting Hearn committed a crime.
Trump said in an Aug. 7 social media post that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro should revisit her decision to dismiss Hearn's indictment.
Spence argued the grand jury process would protect Hearn from being charged without evidence if the government moved to re-charge him.
Construction of Trump-backed Triumphal Arch to begin in coming weeks
The FAA's public comment period for the project ended Thursday and the agency is still studying the arch's impact on the congested D.C.-area airspace.
The arch will be clad in granite and topped by three golden statues plus an observation deck.
The administration has said the arch will recognize the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Excavation work on Trump's arch in Washington to begin within two weeks
A lawsuit is challenging the plans for the arch.
Critics say the arch project would disrupt historic sightlines in Washington, D.C.
The planned arch will stand between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
Excavation to begin on Trump administration's 250-foot triumphal arch
The Trump administration argues a 100-year-old statute related to Arlington Memorial Bridge authorizes construction of the arch.
The project does not have final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission.
The Commission of Fine Arts, made up entirely of Trump appointees, voted to give the project initial approval earlier this year.
National Park Service backs Trump's 250-foot arch despite historic site concerns
The arch has drawn widespread backlash from lawmakers, conservationists and veterans for its impact on the Washington, D.C., skyline and local traffic.
At about 250 feet, the arch would be more than double the height of the Lincoln Memorial.
The federal agency published a report on Friday stating that the Triumphal Arch celebrates 250 years of American independence.
National Park Service backs Trump's arch despite impact on Washington DC sightlines
The arch received initial approval from a key federal commission the month before the report.
The arch's planned location is adjacent to Memorial Bridge near Memorial Circle.
A legal challenge against the arch was filed by three veterans and a group of historians.
“fully avoided without either relocating the Arch away from the historically identified site or eliminating the principal commemorative feature, both of which would fail to meet the undertaking’s purpose and need,”