Virginia and DC sued to stop proposed Trump arch

Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in federal court Saturday in a last-ditch effort to stop construction of the triumphal arch planned for Memorial Circle in Washington.

The Trump administration has said it plans to begin construction on the arch next week, on November 5.

“Construction of the Arch will cause immediate and irreparable harm to the District and Virginia,” Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in the complaint. “The arch is planned to be built on a busy traffic circle that straddles the border between the jurisdictions, in the center of a historical sight, and a river whose environment the district has a legal responsibility to protect.”

“Both the construction of the Arch and the completed monument will disrupt the operations of both jurisdictions, impair their ability to carry out their responsibilities under federal and local law, and require the expenditure of substantial resources to mitigate and address these impacts,” they added.

The Attorney General wrote that her request to block the construction is urgent.

“It is entirely foreseeable that, once construction begins, the defendants will argue, as they have in other cases, that an order halting construction would irreparably harm the federal government, pose security risks, and impermissibly change the status quo they unilaterally created,” they said. “The court should not allow this cynical game to succeed.”

Jones and Schwalb added that they believe the administration is violating the Commemorative Works Act by bypassing specific congressional authorization and violating the Height of Buildings Act by constructing an arch that exceeds 130 feet in height. They also allege violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act.

Jones, in a statement Saturday, said, “Virginia is immensely proud to be home to Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of generations of American heroes who gave their lives defending our nation. President Trump’s illegal vanity project is an affront to this hallowed ground and the extraordinary sacrifice it represents. We will fight vigorously to protect its sanctity and honor the legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Schwalb said: “Construction of the Arch is flagrantly illegal and will cause serious, immediate and irreparable harm to the District and its residents. We are now filing this lawsuit to protect DC’s unique interests and critical role in protecting the security measures that keep our nation’s capital beautiful and safe,” in a separate statement.

Earlier this year, the National Capital Planning Commission, led by Trump appointees, approved initial plans for the construction of the arch, one of the efforts of President Donald Trump to make Washington in his own image during this term.

The commission is scheduled to vote on the final plans for the arch on November 5.

In a statement, White House spokesman David Ingle told NBC News on Saturday: “The Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle will be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, DC, but around the world. It will serve as the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder to all Americans. Our 250 years of history so that we can enjoy our freedoms today, President Trump will continue our Honoring veterans in the greatest nation on earth – America – giving them the glory they deserve.

Ingle did not directly address a question from NBC News about Saturday’s proceedings.

Renderings obtained by NBC News in April show that the arch is planned to feature a winged eagle, Lady Liberty and a line from the Pledge of Allegiance.

In September, the president said on Truth Social that the arch will also serve a national security function, as it will be equipped to “house, store and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus snipers, both on the roof and in the square areas, and in addition to have and keep large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage.”

But final plans and renderings submitted to the NCPC do not include the military upgrades the president wrote about.

Trump has used national security as an argument in favor of other construction projects that have faced legal battles, such as the new ballroom he is building at the White House. In addition to functioning as a gathering space for major White House events, the president said the addition will also house a military complex that will be built below the ballroom.

“When completed in the summer of 2028, the magnificent Ballroom and Military Complex will be something the entire country will be very proud of,” the president wrote in an August Truth Social post after the Supreme Court allowed construction of the Ballroom to continue, reversing a legal challenge by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The president also drew the ire of locals with a proposed plan to renovate the East Potomac Golf Links course in Washington, despite legal obstacles to that project.

In a post on Truth Social Thursday, Trump said why he renovated the golf course.

“East Potomac Golf Course is highly dangerous, dilapidated, and absolutely disgusting. Below are new photos of the deplorable conditions of the driving range building, including excrement in the stairwell. The gaping holes in the Tri-Coalition” protective net are highly dangerous. Golf balls float through the holes at high speed and unexpectedly hit a White House that was a White House. violently in the chest,” the president wrote.

He promised to turn the course into “a world-class championship golf course.”