Inside Trump’s Rush Job to Build His Arch
The Trump administration is reportedly seeking to expedite the construction of a 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C. by modifying federal historic preservation regulations. Critics argue these changes could weaken oversight for federal projects affecting historic sites nationwide.
Why it matters
The potential deregulation of historic preservation standards could have long-term implications for the architectural integrity and symbolic landscape of the US capital.
A previously unreported regulatory change could lower the bar for new additions to Washington.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post / Getty; National Park Service. July 19, 2026, 3:44 PM ET Share Save Building a new monument in Washington, D.C., is supposed to take time—a slow procedural grind of plans drafted, designs revised, studies conducted, and preservationists, historians, tribes, and architects consulted all before work crews ever break ground. The idea is to preserve the carefully choreographed symbolism of the federal city. That is not the approach favored by Donald Trump, who wants to leave his mark on the city’s symbolic core before he leaves office.
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