Trump Pushes 250-Ft Arch Criticized by Airport Execs

President Donald Trump wants to build an arch — and he wants it to be the biggest in the world.

The structure could pose a hazard to air travel at nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

But even as he suggests he will sign an executive order for its construction, the project is facing pushback and will likely hit legal hurdles before it can proceed, Betsy Klein, Ian Berry, and Renee Rigdon reported for CNN.

Trump wants an American version of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, only bigger. The proposed Independence Arch would be 250 feet tall to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary. (The Arc de Triomphe stands 164 feet tall.)

Based on standard measurements, that would be roughly equivalent to a 16- to 20-story building.

It is the latest — and tallest — effort by Trump to impose his style and tastes on the nation’s capital, and he has been extremely hands-on.

Preservationists warn that the structure — which would be situated across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial — would block historically significant views in both directions and could pose a hazard to air travel at nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The proposed arch’s main span would be 165 feet tall and 165 feet wide, topped by a 25-foot pedestal and a massive 60-foot gilt-bronze Lady Liberty sculpture, according to a source familiar with the plans who was granted anonymity to speak freely without professional repercussions.

A sculptor has yet to be selected for that portion of the project, the source said.

Smaller versions — 165- and 123-foot iterations with 40- and 30-foot sculptures — were also considered, the source said, but Trump is “dead-set on building this huge arch,” Pete Muntean also reported for CNN.