WASHINGTON — Senator Tammy Duckworth sent a letter to the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urging resistance to pressure from President Donald Trump regarding a planned triumphal arch. The letter called for the FAA to prioritize aviation safety over the proposed arch's construction. President Trump had proposed a 250-foot triumphal arch to commemorate the country's 250th anniversary, an arch that would be more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial.

Duckworth, a Democratic senator from Illinois who also serves as the top Democrat on the Senate aviation subcommittee, wrote in her letter that the FAA's initial review of the arch appears to have been expedited. "The president or his White House aides are already improperly pressuring the Federal Aviation Administration to prioritize rubberstamping the proposed arch over public safety," Duckworth wrote. The proposed arch site is near the airspace of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

A National Park Service preliminary report indicated officials aim to complete the structure within three years, potentially requiring 20 hours of daily work and cranes up to 320 feet tall. Last year, a United States Army helicopter collided with a commercial jet near the airport, resulting in 67 fatalities. The location requires careful evaluation of any new obstructions given recent aviation incidents.

The FAA stated it would respond directly to Duckworth. The agency stated that a preliminary feasibility study found no adverse impacts to operations at the nearby airport, and that red obstruction lights on the top of the structure are a common safety measure. The FAA also stated that a full study, coordinated with the National Park Service, would follow. "The Federal Aviation Administration must be firm in rejecting any improper or irresponsible pressure from President Donald Trump on the matter," Duckworth wrote.

Duckworth also raised concerns about the arch's impact on historical symbolism. "The proposed arch would interrupt the historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, and thereby desecrate the historic symbolism."