A senior House Republican who helps control federal spending is distancing himself from efforts to use government funds for President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, marking a rare public disagreement with the administration over one of its highest-profile Washington projects. Idaho Representative Mike Simpson, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, said Monday he would not support directing Pentagon dollars toward the arch after Trump argued over the weekend that the monument could serve military purposes by housing drones, snipers and ammunition. "There's a lot of things that we need the military funding for—in fact, we're short on military funding right now," Simpson told reporters.
When pressed on whether the Defense Department should fund the project at all, Simpson was even more direct. "If it was my choice, I wouldn't put any of that money into the arch," he said. The comments come as the administration presses ahead with plans for the 250-foot structure at Memorial Circle, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, despite ongoing legal challenges and questions about how the project will ultimately be funded.
Simpson's remarks are significant because they come from a lawmaker with direct influence over federal spending decisions and because Republicans have largely remained aligned with Trump's vision for the project. The president's proposal has become one of the most ambitious construction efforts of his second term. Trump has described the monument as a celebration of America's 250th anniversary and has argued it would give Washington a landmark comparable to major arches in cities such as Paris, Rome and London.
In a February interview with NBC News, Trump said: "We're doing one that will be more magnificent and larger than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris...We're going to do one that's going to top it." Simpson said that if the administration intends to use appropriated money, Congress should have a say. "I hope if they decide to do it, that they would come to Congress and ask for an appropriation for it if they're going to use appropriated dollars to do it," he said. His concerns echo criticism raised by opponents of the project, including veterans groups and congressional Democrats, who have questioned whether Congress has authorized the monument and whether taxpayer funds should be used for its construction.
The White House defended the project and signaled it intends to move forward despite criticism from Simpson and other opponents. White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek that the "Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world. "It will enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike," Ingle said.
He added that the project would serve as a reminder of "the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250 year history" and said Trump "will continue to honor our veterans and give the greatest Nation on earth—America—the glory it deserves." A White House official, speaking on background, said the administration expects to use "some combination of public and private funds" to pay for the project. The official said cost estimates are still being calculated and that the White House expects the arch to be completed before the end of Trump's second term. The official added that work not requiring final approval will begin while the administration continues seeking approvals from relevant agencies.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
