The government planned to perform four archaeological excavation pits, each eight feet by 16 feet, at the Memorial Circle site.
Posted by The Lawfare Podcast, Checked
- Sources
- 6 support2 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 80%
The Lawfare PodcastSep 14, 2026
The sources support the claim: a sworn declaration from NPS regional director Jennifer Nersesian, as reported by ENR and other outlets, describes four test pits at Memorial Circle, each about 8 by 16 feet, as of September 2026. The claim dropped the 'unspecified depth' detail from the post, which is a faithful paraphrase.
The host relays this claim without endorsing it. It counts as passed on, not against the post.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… So that's all we're doing, and and and and it's actually a little more than you might think. It's like they're they plan to do four pits, each one eight feet by 16 feet and of unspecified depth, so it's a lot of excavation. But anyway, so Judge Chutkin, not wanting to take any chance, said issued a quick order before anyone even fully responded and said, Okay, you need to give the court 48 hours' notice before you do more than this preliminary …
The Lawfare Podcast · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. ENR reports that NPS Regional Director Jennifer Nersesian declared in a sworn filing that crews would mechanically excavate four test pits, each about 8 ft by 16 ft, at the arch footings, plaza, and sewer pump station.[2]
Supports. Another report on the same declaration states the government planned to dig four test pits, each about 8 feet by 16 feet, and the court filing describes the work as four mechanically excavated test pits under archaeological observation.[3][4]
Supports. Reports on the government's court filing say the four test pits would be dug no earlier than September 21 with site restoration targeted for October 31, consistent with a planned excavation at Memorial Circle.[5][6][7]
Context. The NPS document from October 24 describes nine geoarchaeological borings and the October 18 environmental assessment says no further archaeological investigation is warranted; both postdate the claim and reflect later plans, not the September 14 state of affairs.[1][8]
Sources
8 sources: 1 primary, 7 not rated
- 1[PDF] Triumphal Arch Revised Environmental Assessmentncpc.gov · primary source · cited for: context
- 2Judge Sets Notice Rules as Trump Arch Site Testing Nears - ENRenr.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 3A Judge Orders 48 Hours' Notice Before Work on Trump's Arch, and the Federal Preservation Review Ends Without Agreementthetrumptracker.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 4UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTstorage.courtlistener.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5When will construction start on Trump's DC arch? See latest ...palmbeachpost.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Judge reinforces order halting immediate work on Trump's 250-foot archuk.news.yahoo.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Judge Requires Notice Before Arlington Memorial Circle Workdeeparrival.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 8National Park Servicecourtlistener.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- Judge Chutkan issued an order requiring 48 hours' notice before the government conducts any work beyond preliminary archaeological excavation.True
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- Donald Trump intends to break ground on an arch before receiving official approval.True
- President Trump is beginning construction of a 250-foot-tall, gold-topped arch without federal commission approval or review under the National Historic Preservation Act.True