Virginia and D.C. sue to stop Trump arch construction

Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Saturday to halt construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch.

The 45-page complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia describes the project as "flagrantly unlawful." Attorneys general Jay Jones and Brian Schwalb argue that starting work as soon as next week will "inflict irreparable harm" on both jurisdictions.

The arch is designed to stand 250 feet tall, making it twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial. It would be positioned between Arlington National Cemetery and the memorial honoring the 16th president. The plaintiffs contend that the structure will snarl traffic between the two areas.

The lawsuit states that both jurisdictions must take "immediate and costly steps" to assess and mitigate these effects. Jones and Schwalb note that the defendants refused to adequately consult with either region during the approval process, leaving the costs "severe and unrecoverable."

This legal action follows the unveiling of the arch plans by the Trump administration in October 2025. Trump has previously described the project as a "military complex" for holding weapons and snipers, though the latest plans under review by the National Capital Planning Commission do not include those elements.

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkin ordered the parties to confer and agree on a briefing schedule for the temporary restraining order motion by Saturday evening. The White House and the Interior Department had not responded to requests for comment as of Saturday.