Senator Tammy Duckworth urges FAA to reject Trump's 'Triumphful Arch' plan over aviation safety concerns

Jun 19, 2026

Senator Tammy Duckworth is urging the FAA to block President Trump's proposed 259-foot 'Triumphful Arch' near Arlington Cemetery, citing grave aviation safety risks to Reagan National Airport's congested airspace. Duckworth calls the taxpayer-funded structure a 'vanity project' that desecrates a historic sightline, a view shared by a group of veterans who are suing to stop its construction.

Triumphful Arch aviation safety concerns

▪The proposed taxpayer-funded "Triumphful Arch" would be 259 feet tall, potentially creating flight complications for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
▪The White House has referred to President Donald Trump's proposed structure as a "victory arch."
▪The arch would be located near Arlington National Cemetery and is designed to resemble the Arc de Triomphe in Paris with gold angels on top.

Trump architectural projects in DC

▪President Trump's other projects include demolishing the White House's East wing for a ballroom and repainting the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.
▪The "Triumphful Arch" is one of several architectural projects President Donald Trump has proposed or started in Washington, D.C.

Duckworth FAA rejection letter

▪Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth urged the Federal Aviation Administration to reject President Donald Trump's "Triumphful Arch" plan.
▪In a letter to the FAA, Duckworth, a ranking member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, called the arch a "vanity project."

Arlington Cemetery sightline controversy

▪A group of veterans is suing to block the arch proposal, arguing it would obstruct the "historically significant view" between Arlington Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
▪Senator Tammy Duckworth, a veteran, stated the arch would desecrate Arlington National Cemetery's symbolism by destroying a historic sightline representing post-Civil War unity.

Reagan Airport crash context

▪The January 2025 crash was the deadliest domestic air crash since 2009, prompting ongoing FAA safety enhancements at Reagan airport.
▪In late January 2025, a collision between an army helicopter and a commercial plane near Reagan airport killed 67 people.