Trump's plans for massive arch move ahead

Image source, Getty Images By Grace Eliza Goodwin Published 47 minutes ago US President Donald Trump's plans for building a massive arch appear to be moving ahead, after a federal advisory council terminated talks on how to handle the 250-foot structure's possible effects on nearby historic sites.

The council, led by Trump appointees, announced on Thursday it was ending required consultations on the project, saying historic preservation officers from Washington and Virginia had refused to sign off on harm-mitigation plans.

Construction was already expected to begin this month, but opposition has been growing.

On Friday, Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth blasted plans to use the arch for defence as "foolhardy" and called it "yet another Trump vanity project".

Figure caption, A look at the design plans for Trump's triumphal arch as proposed in April