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

Attorneys General Jay Jones of Virginia and Brian Schwalb of the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Saturday. The legal action aims to block construction on President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch. The 45-page complaint was submitted to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

The lawsuit describes the project as flagrantly unlawful. Jones and Schwalb argue that starting construction could begin as soon as next week. They claim this timeline would inflict irreparable harm on both jurisdictions. The arch is planned for the space between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.

The proposed structure would stand 250 feet tall. This height is twice that of the Lincoln Memorial. The attorneys general warn the arch will snarl traffic between the District and Virginia. They state that both areas must take immediate and costly steps to mitigate these effects.

The complaint notes that defendants refused to adequately consult with either jurisdiction. The legal team calls the approval process hurried and preordained. They add that the resulting costs are severe and unrecoverable because they were not factored into the initial planning.

This is the latest legal effort to stop the arch, whose plans the Trump administration unveiled in October 2025. President Trump has defended the project, previously describing it as a military complex for weapons and snipers. Current plans under review by the National Capital Planning Commission do not include those military elements.

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