By Ahmed Abdelsalam
A federal panel led by Trump appointees is poised to grant final approval for a 250-foot "triumphal arch" near Arlington National Cemetery, despite opposition from a Vietnam veteran who called the project "frankly blasphemous."
Michael Lemmon, an Army veteran and former foreign service officer, testified before the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) that the arch would "profoundly disturb the peace and tranquility" owed to those buried at Arlington. He was among 130 speakers at the online meeting Thursday.
The proposed arch would stand more than twice the height of the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and surpass France's Arc de Triomphe. The commission, chaired by Trump loyalist Mark Paoletta, is expected to approve the project after public testimony concludes.
Legal challenges have mounted. A lawsuit filed by Lemmon and other veterans, recently joined by the District of Columbia and Virginia, alleges the administration violated federal law by proceeding without specific congressional authorization. Paoletta argued the project was authorized over a century ago when Congress approved the Memorial Bridge plan.
Rep. Jared Huffman, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, clashed with Paoletta, saying the arch would "dishonor America, our ideals and our laws." Paoletta defended the arch as completing a historic vision and providing a "generational security opportunity" with plans to house drones, snipers, and ammunition.
As the administration signaled construction could begin immediately after approval, a federal judge ordered at least 30 minutes' notice before any work starts. The Justice Department acknowledged a contractor prematurely painted lines on the site without National Park Service authorization.
According to Interior Department planning documents, the Park Service intends to conduct construction 20 hours per day over the next two to three years.
