Huffman Accuses Burgum of Misleading Congress on 250-Foot Trump Arch as Site Work Starts
Updated
Updated · ms.now · May 15
Huffman Accuses Burgum of Misleading Congress on 250-Foot Trump Arch as Site Work Starts
1 articles · Updated · ms.now · May 15
Rep. Jared Huffman said Doug Burgum came close to perjury after the Interior secretary told Congress there was no proposal or final agency action on Trump’s memorial arch.
Fenced-off areas and workers were visible Thursday at Memorial Circle, and Interior later confirmed geotechnical site surveys had begun there, calling them routine work required before any final proposal.
Huffman said the activity shows the project is moving ahead without congressional approval, public notice or legal compliance, and he sent Burgum a letter urging him to revise his testimony because false statements to Congress are a federal crime.
The proposed arch has expanded from 76 feet to 250 feet at a traffic circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, drawing objections from critics who say it would intrude on a unifying memorial space.
The dispute adds to scrutiny of Trump’s broader push to remake Washington landmarks, with the Washington Post reporting the White House planned to use an unrelated engineering contract to start work and potentially avoid a lengthy bidding process.
When does preliminary site surveying legally cross the line into unauthorized construction on public land?
How will the 250-foot arch's design affect the historic views of Arlington Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial?