DC and Virginia File Joint Lawsuit to Halt Trump’s Proposed Triumphal Arch

The District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia have jointly filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the construction of a large triumphal arch proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Filed on Saturday, the legal action characterizes the project as “flagrantly unlawful” and “legally indefensible,” requesting that the federal judiciary block construction before it commences.

The complaint cautions that if construction proceeds, the administration could argue that halting work already underway constitutes a national security risk—a precedent the president has invoked regarding other contentious initiatives.

“This is not the first time that Defendants have sought to dramatically reshape the District too rapidly for judicial intervention,” the filing states. “This Court should not permit this undertaking to evade legal oversight.”

Saturday’s complaint marks the third lawsuit filed against the proposed arch.

President Trump has championed the construction of a triumphal arch modeled after Paris’s Arc de Triomphe from the Napoleonic era.

The proposed structure, however, would stand 30 meters (100 feet) taller than the Statue of Liberty, rising to approximately 76 meters (250 feet) from Memorial Circle in Washington, D.C.

The monument’s immense scale has drawn criticism, particularly from veterans’ organizations concerned that the arch would obstruct views of Arlington National Cemetery, a revered military burial ground.

White House officials indicate that groundbreaking could occur as early as next week, on or around November 5.

On Friday, the administration released a 106-page proposal describing the arch as a 12-story megastructure featuring a winged bronze statue of Lady Liberty holding an eternal flame.

The design includes two mezzanines, an observation deck with panoramic east-west views, program spaces, offices, and a fire command center.

Trump has previously stated that the arch would also function as a military installation equipped with snipers and drone capabilities.

Construction would necessitate substantial traffic alterations in the area, including the rerouting of vehicles to adjacent roadways.

In the Saturday filing, Attorneys General Brian Schwalb of Washington, D.C., and Jay Jones of Virginia cited the project’s disruptive footprint as a primary concern.

“As soon as defendants break ground on this project, they will inflict irreparable harm on both the District and Virginia,” the lawsuit asserts.

The filing warns that the anticipated three-year construction timeline would impede commuter traffic, delay emergency response vehicles, and produce significant pollution, including stormwater runoff into the Potomac River.

The lawsuit asks the court to require the Trump administration to obtain congressional authorization before any construction begins.

The latest legal challenge follows an October 8 filing by Arlington County, the first governmental entity to initiate legal action against the planned monument.

In that suit, the county’s governing board contended that the project would cause “significant harm” to its residents and likely necessitate changes to nearby flight paths.

The initial complaint was filed in February by a group of Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian seeking to block the arch.

District Judge Tanya Chutkan is presiding over that case and is considering whether to grant a preliminary injunction to temporarily suspend construction plans while the court reviews arguments.

At a hearing on Friday, Chutkan postponed an immediate ruling but indicated she would issue a decision promptly.

She previously directed the administration to provide the court with 48 hours’ notice before undertaking any activities related to the arch’s construction.

The monument has already secured preliminary approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were all appointed by Trump.

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