DC and Virginia Sue to Block Trump's Proposed Triumphal Arch
The lawsuit filed by the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia calls the arch "fragrantly unlawful" and seeks a temporary restraining order.
Officials in Washington D.C. and Virginia have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the construction of President Donald Trump's proposed Triumphal Arch, citing potential disruptions and environmental harm.
The suit, jointly filed by the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia, states the arch is "fragrantly unlawful" and "legally indefensible" without congressional authorization. It seeks a temporary restraining order to halt construction, which the administration has indicated could begin as early as Thursday.
This legal challenge comes less than a week before the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is expected to grant final design approval for the project. The lawsuit argues that both jurisdictions "will suffer a battery of irreparable injuries as soon as construction begins—from disruptions of local traffic to environmental degradation to threats to security and emergency preparations." The two governments assert their standing to file the suit is "indisputable" due to the likely impacts on their residents if work on the arch commences. The administration has not yet commented on this new filing.
The Trump administration has previously faced a separate lawsuit brought by Vietnam-era veterans who contend the arch would negatively affect their experience when visiting Arlington National Cemetery. Sworn declarations from the secretaries of defense and homeland security were submitted in that case to support the administration's argument that the project is necessary for national security.
Trump has described the arch, planned for a busy traffic circle at the foot of Memorial Bridge, as a future drone port and ammunition storehouse. The Interior Department submitted final plans for the project, also referred to as the Monumental Arch, to the NCPC earlier this month. The design includes a 25-story-tall arch topped with a golden winged statue holding a torch with an "eternal flame," intended to be visible from all angles, day and night, while maintaining visual comfort for drivers, visitors, and the surrounding environment, according to an NCPC project summary.
The proposed arch would stand more than twice as tall as the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and taller than France's Arc de Triomphe.