Two dozen House Democrats plan to introduce legislation to block construction of a 250-foot triumphal arch that President Trump has proposed building near Arlington National Cemetery.
Democrats say the arch would obstruct views of Arlington National Cemetery and dwarf the Lincoln Memorial, which sits across the Potomac River from the proposed site.
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The push comes after new reporting in the Washington Post that the Trump administration may attempt to build the arch without congressional approval, using previous authorizations for war monuments to bypass the legislative process. Engineering and surveying work has already begun at the site.
The legislation would also codify that the president could not unilaterally build any arch without congressional approval, and would bar funding for any structure placed on national parks land in the Washington, D.C., area.
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No Republicans have signed on to the bill. With Republicans in control of Congress, the legislation faces long odds of passage. The bill's prospects in the Senate also remain unclear.
Democrats appear to be positioning Trump's proposed arch and other beautification projects, along with high oil prices, as central issues heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
