Key facts
- Senator Tammy Duckworth urged the FAA to resist pressure from President Donald Trump regarding a proposed triumphal arch.
- The proposed 259-foot arch is modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
- Concerns were raised about the arch's proximity to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and potential aviation safety risks.
- A preliminary FAA review found no adverse impact on DCA's airspace but noted the need for obstruction lights.
- Lawmakers argue the administration lacks the power to build the arch without congressional approval.
- Additional concerns were raised about the arch potentially disrupting historic sightlines.
Senator Tammy Duckworth has urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reject pressure from President Donald Trump to approve his proposed triumphal arch, citing significant aviation safety concerns and potential desecration of historic sightlines.
In a letter to the FAA, Duckworth, the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation, called the 259-foot structure, modeled after Paris's Arc de Triomphe, President Trump's "newest vanity project." She expressed worries that the arch's construction, which could involve cranes reaching 300 feet or higher for up to 20 hours a day over three years, would pose a risk to commercial flights, particularly given the complex airspace near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
Duckworth referenced a fatal midair collision near DCA last year as an example of the severe consequences of inadequate coordination in the National Capitol Region airspace. She also argued that the administration has no authority to build the arch without congressional approval, citing violations of the Height of Buildings Act and the Commemorative Works Act.
The FAA previously stated in a preliminary review that the arch would require red safety lights due to its height but found no evidence of an adverse impact on DCA's airspace. A full aeronautical study, in coordination with the National Park Service, is the next step in the review process. Duckworth also voiced concerns that the arch would disrupt historic sightlines, calling it an "offensive desecration."