Arlington County is suing to stop the construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch, arguing the administration failed to complete a legally required environmental review process before barreling ahead with the development.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Virginia, alleges the Trump administration did not properly evaluate the project’s potential harm or offer meaningful alternatives as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. The complaint seeks to halt construction work until a proper environmental review is conducted.
Trump’s proposed 250-foot arch is slated to be built at Memorial Circle on an island in the Potomac River that sits within the borders of D.C. but is adjacent to Arlington.
The National Park Service, which oversees projects on federal parkland including the arch, “has claimed that a final decision to construct the Arch has not yet been made and purports to be engaged in a routine decisional process,” the lawsuit said. “That rushed process appears to be a pretext designed to shore up justifications for building the Arch in accordance with the President’s repeated marching orders.”
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A previous study from the Park Service found the monument will likely disturb dozens of historic sites, including Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington Memorial Bridge. Another said the arch will narrow the visual field of the area, cause temporary traffic interruptions and create noise near memorials and the cemetery. Still, the Park Service said the arch should proceed as planned because the location is “central to the undertaking” of the project.
Trump has championed the arch as a monument to honor the nation’s 250th birthday. Last month he said it would also serve as a “top grade military complex” housing drones, snipers and ammunition. Trump has used similar rationale to garner support for other beautification projects, such as the White House ballroom, which he touted as necessary for national security.
The lawsuit filed by Arlington County comes amid another ongoing legal battle surrounding the arch. A group of Vietnam veterans sued in February to stop the monument, arguing it would disrupt the view of Arlington National Cemetery.
The arch has also drawn criticism from aviation experts who worry the massive structure will make already congested airspace near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport more dangerous.
Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said in a statement Thursday the federal government disregarded protocol and wide-ranging negative impacts that the arch will bring to Arlington County.
“Our community has the most to lose from this egregious and unlawful proposed project,” he said. “Enough is enough. We will do all we can to hold this administration accountable and to protect and serve the best interests of our community.”
The arch received an early approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, a board packed with Trump appointees. Final approval could come as early as Nov. 5, when the project is expected to be presented to the National Capital Planning Commission.
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