Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a federal lawsuit on Saturday, October 31, seeking to stop work on Donald Trump’s proposed memorial arch. Their challenge brings the number of lawsuits seeking to halt the project to three, with the administration saying construction could start as early as next week.
The proposed monument would stand on a grassy site near the bridge across the Potomac River linking Washington with Arlington national cemetery. At 250ft, or 76 meters, the arch would exceed the height of the Statue of Liberty, measured from its base to the torch, by 100ft, or 30 meters.
US district judge Tanya Chutkan is considering whether to suspend the project while the original lawsuit, brought by three Vietnam war veterans and an architectural historian, proceeds. At a hearing on Friday, she did not immediately issue an order but said she would act expeditiously. The latest plaintiffs are also requesting a temporary restraining order to delay the administration’s construction plans.
Washington DC attorney general Brian Schwalb and Virginia attorney general Jay Jones argue that breaking ground would cause immediate, irreparable harm to both jurisdictions. Their lawsuit describes the location as central to a major traffic route between them and warns that the three-year construction period would disrupt travel, generate pollution and storm water runoff into the Potomac, and interfere with emergency services.
The complaint highlights the potential consequences for emergency responses in an area where agencies regularly work together across jurisdictional boundaries. It cites the regional context of the January 2025 collision between a US military helicopter and a passenger airliner, which killed 67 people. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a recent court filing, the Republican administration said it intended to seek final approval at Thursday’s meeting of the Capital National Planning Commission. It said construction could begin that same day, despite the two lawsuits pending when the filing was made.
A 106-page plan submitted by the government on Friday describes a structure more than 12 stories tall, topped by a large bronze figure of Lady Liberty with wings and a torch bearing an eternal flame. Plans also include an observation deck facing east and west, two mezzanines and an occupied roof.
The interior would contain program rooms, offices, a staff lounge, circular staircases, several elevators and a fire command center. The proposal also calls for substantial changes to surrounding traffic routes, including rerouting vehicles on nearby roads. Administration officials have said the arch would serve a national security function.
