Legal battles surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot memorial arch escalated on Saturday as the District of Columbia and Virginia filed a joint federal lawsuit to halt the project.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan subsequently consolidated the new filing with an existing lawsuit brought by three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian. All plaintiffs are seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block construction, which the administration indicated could begin as early as next week following approval from the National Capital Planning Commission.
The proposed monument would stand 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty from its base to the torch, occupying a patch of grass near the bridge connecting the capital to Arlington National Cemetery.
In their filing, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb and Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones argued that immediate construction would cause severe disruptions.
“As soon as Defendants break ground on this project, they will inflict irreparable harm on both the District and Virginia. The Arch site sits at the center of a major traffic artery between the District and Virginia, in the monumental core of the capital, on an island that straddles the Potomac River. During the three-year period of construction, the Arch project will inevitably snarl traffic between the jurisdictions, produce pollution and stormwater runoff in the Potomac, interfere with emergency services, and pose numerous other challenges,” the attorneys general wrote.
The lawsuit warns that traffic disruptions could severely hinder emergency response operations in the region. The administration’s newly submitted 106-page project blueprint outlines a structure over 12 stories high, featuring a massive winged bronze statue of Lady Liberty carrying a torch with an eternal flame, an observation deck, offices, program spaces, and a fire command center, alongside major traffic rerouting.
Defending the project during a Halloween event at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday, Trump emphasized its dual purpose.
“The arch is very important militarily for Washington, D.C., and our country. It’s also going to be the most beautiful arc ever built,” Trump told reporters. “It will be one of Washington’s most beautiful things. It’s also very important militarily. Maybe more importantly, but I don’t think so. But it is very important militarily, and I think we’re doing very well.”
White House spokesman Davis Ingle echoed the sentiment in an email statement.
“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 serve as a gateway to Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250-year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today,” Ingle said.
During a Friday hearing, Judge Chutkan questioned the administration’s rush to break ground, asking government lawyer Robert Stander how the executive branch would be harmed “apart from the executive’s desire to bedazzle the city” if a pause is ordered.
Stander defended the timeline, calling the arch a high-priority initiative.
The arch lawsuit is part of a broader wave of legal scrutiny facing the administration’s rapid capital redevelopment plans.
Other ongoing disputes involve a judicial inquiry into federal attorneys regarding the East Potomac Golf Link project, and a Tuesday hearing requested by Representative Joyce Beatty over transparency and executive privilege at the Kennedy Center.