Trump's 250-foot vanity arch may be just the beginning as White House seizes power to shatter DC's skyline

By NIKKI SCHWAB, CHIEF CAMPAIGN CORRESPONDENT Published: 15:20, 20 June 2026 | Updated: 15:23, 20 June 2026 The Trump administration is now arguing that the federal government doesn't have to abide by Washington, DC's Height of Buildings Act, which has kept most buildings in the US capital under 130 feet.  The Washington Post reported Friday that a memo put out by the Interior Department argues that the 1910 Height Act should be considered a local zoning law, with exemptions for federal construction.  That fresh interpretation of the law comes as President Donald Trump is trying to get his triumphal arch project off the ground - to 250-feet in height.  The National Capital Planning Commission, which is now stuffed with Trump allies, is expected to vote on the 'Arc de Trump' at the group's July meeting.  NCPC Chairman Will Scharf, whose day job is White House Staff Secretary, had requested the Interior Department's memo as part of the commission's review process, the Post reported.  Career staff had previously said that the NCPC had always applied the Height Act to federal projects.  But Scharf had argued that the Height Act should not apply to Trump's arch.  Now the government agrees with him.  The Interior Department is now interpreting a 1910 law the restricts the heights of buildings in the nation's capital to only apply to local projects and not federal builds. This new reading comes as President Donald Trump's arch goes through the oversight process  Scharf, a Harvard-educated lawyer by trade, had previously said that the NCPC had no oversight power over demolitions, allowing the October destruction of the White House's East Wing to go forward.  The Interior Department did not tell the Post who authored the memo or whether Trump is planning additional projects in Washington where the height limit might be an issue.  'Great nations build beautiful structures and works of art that cultivate national pride and love of country. In this tradition, Secretary [Doug] Burgum is thrilled to champion the United States triumphal arch which will be a project that all Americans can be proud of,' a spokesperson for the Interior Department told the newspaper.  The Interior Department did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.    The new interpretation of the law also bypasses Congress, something that incensed Democrats.  'Congress, not the Executive, decided in 1910 that Washington would remain a horizontal city, and Congress has preserved that judgment ever since,' Democrats told Burgum in a letter on Tuesday, according to the Post.  They pushed Burgum not to build Trump's arch.  The Height Act has been taken so seriously that it's included as part of the DC Home Rule Act of 1973.  Should Washington’s historic skyline be preserved at all costs, or is it time for bold new monuments? What's your view? President Donald Trump holds up his proposed arch in the East Room in October 2025 Demonstrators stake out the future site of the Arc de Trump to protest President Donald Trump's motorcade on Memorial Day last month  That act gave District residents, who are otherwise disenfranchised, the ability to elect a mayor and 13-member city council.  It specifically barred DC Council from passing any laws that would overrule the Height of Buildings Act.  But Trump has floated that he'd like to do away with DC Home Rule too - as democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George looked poised to become Washington's next mayor.  The race was called for Lewis George on Thursday.   The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.