National Park Service backs Trump's 250ft independence arch despite threat to Washington's iconic sightlines

The National Park Service has released a 133-page report endorsing Trump's proposed 250ft 'Independence Arch' beside Memorial Bridge, even while conceding it will disrupt sightlines connecting more of Washington's iconic landmarks than previously anticipated. The arch — granite-clad reinforced concrete crowned by a central winged figure flanked by two eagles — is planned for Memorial Circle adjacent to Arlington Memorial Bridge. The report acknowledges adverse visual, spatial and night-time effects on sites including the Washington Monument and the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. It concludes the effects cannot be avoided without relocating or scrapping the arch entirely, which would defeat the project's purpose.

The 133-page report could strengthen the administration's legal position against a lawsuit filed by three veterans and an architectural historian.

Smaller versions of the arch were considered but rejected because they would more fully block the view between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The arch's height, visibility and night-time illumination are identified as the key factors that would alter the feeling and association of dozens of nearby National Historic Landmarks.