WATCH: Capital Planning Commission seeks more info on proposed 'Trump arch' after public comment session

By — Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-capital-planning-commission-seeks-more-info-on-proposed-trump-arch-after-public-comment-session Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Capital Planning Commission seeks more info on proposed 'Trump arch' after public comment session Politics Jun 4, 2026 5:44 PM EDT The National Capital Planning Commission has kept alive the triumphal arch that President Donald Trump wants built at an entrance to the nation's capital, requesting more information on how it could potentially impact air travel navigation in the area, as well as other specifics on construction and traffic in the area. Watch the full hearing in the video player above. Most members of the federal agency that approves construction on federal land voted in favor Thursday of seeking more information from the Department of the Interior, which submitted the application for the 250-foot arch planned between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. READ MORE: Design plan for Trump's proposed Washington arch is approved by Trump-appointed commission The vote came after nearly three hours of public comment from about 20 members of the public, some representing historic and architectural organizations, and most of whom expressed concerns about the arch that is one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave his imprint on Washington. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Preliminary surveys and testing of the arch site began last month, and other approvals are underway. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts — which only oversees designs and has no role in the actual construction or funding of the arch or any other project it considers — has approved the arch's design, a key step in the project's process but one that has no immediate bearing on the construction timeline. For now, the National Capital Planning Commission is seeking more information justifying the proposed height of the towering arch, as well as additional details about lighting, management of storm water and how traffic and parking would be regulated for visitors. Will Scharf, who has served as Trump's White House staff secretary, heads the commission and acknowledged the applicant "has some homework to do," Scharf said, suggesting more information on how it would appear from other monuments in the Washington area. But, Scharf said ultimately, this year's 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence "is as good an opportunity as any to add something to Washington, D.C., that will hopefully stand the test of time. READ MORE: See planned images for Trump's Washington triumphal arch Stuart Levenbach, Trump appointee and commission vice chairman, said the proposed site represented "one of the few locations" in the area where such