Congressman Beyer says preparations are underway to build Trump arch in US — The Hill

Democratic Congressman Don Beyer said that the administration of US President Donald Trump is likely preparing to build a 76-meter arch on the Virginia side of the Memorial Bridge near Washington. Beyer represents a district in Northern Virginia where the structure is expected to be located.

Equipment at the work site

As The Hill reports, Beyer arrived at the site after constituents reported seeing construction equipment there. According to him, workers operating heavy equipment told him they were conducting archaeological work to assess the composition of the soil.

Previously, a federal judge prohibited construction at the site without 14 days' notice, as well as any activity without 48 hours' notice. An exception was made for work to search for underground artifacts. At the same time, Beyer claims that the presence of equipment and additional surveyors may indicate preparations for the construction of the arch. The workers did not answer his questions about whether the work was a precursor to construction.

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Speeding up the approval procedure

On the same day, the administration ended consultations with historians from local authorities, which normally accompany such projects. Such consultations are required under Section 106 of the US National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, which is assessing the project's impact, said it would submit its recommendations to the Department of the Interior without taking external feedback into account. Earlier, officials from Virginia and Washington sent letters to the National Park Service saying they did not approve the plan without further study of its impact on historic sites, including Arlington National Cemetery.

Purpose of the structure

Trump proposed building a 250-foot arch as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. He previously said on Truth Social that the structure would not only be ceremonial, but would also contain snipers, drones, and ammunition. Beyer called the possible start of construction without a more comprehensive assessment of the consequences for the region deeply troubling.