Groundbreaking for Trump’s Triumphal Arch to Start in Two Weeks

United States President Donald Trump has big plans for his Triumphal Arch near Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC, with excavation work for the proposed monument slated to start over the next two weeks, according to secretary of interior Doug Burgum.

In a post on X, Burgum wrote that “after a very long wait (over 125 years!), we are preparing to start, over the next two-week period, the excavation work necessary for the Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck, at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.” He added that the project will be one of the “Great Pieces of American Architecture” that honors the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and is “befitting the most powerful Capital in the World.”

The monument, however, is still pending federal review, reports the New York Times. The choice to move forward with the work is rather contentious, as legal requirements stipulate at least 14 days’ notice in a legal filing prior to beginning construction. 

The president first revealed a model of the monument in October 2025, telling CBS News that the arch is dedicated to himself. At 250-feet-tall, Trump wants his arch to be taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

The news of the triumphal arch groundbreaking follows Trump’s ambitions of building a luxury ballroom with an underground military complex below finally being given the green light by the US Supreme Court this week. In late August, the court gave permission for construction of the White House ballroom to continue, with a temporary stay issued by Chief Justice John Roberts.

“The Military/Ballroom Complex being built on the hallowed grounds of the White House, which is so vital for National Security, will be THE GREATEST OF ITS KIND!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “It is something that Presidents have wanted for 150 years, and that the Military has been seeking for the last 100 years. Their wish will soon be fulfilled!”