Arlington County sues to block Trump's 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington cemetery

The lawsuit

Arlington County Board in Virginia sued the US Department of the Interior and the National Park Service late on Thursday, 8 October, seeking to block President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch. The Independent reports the county is the first governmental body to take legal action against the planned monument. The 250-foot (76-meter) structure is modeled on Paris' Arc de Triomphe and would be built on Memorial Circle, near Arlington National Cemetery and just across the Potomac River from Washington. The five-member county board is made up entirely of Democrats, and the county is represented by the legal advocacy group Democracy Forward. The White House and Interior Department did not immediately comment on the suit.

Claims of an inadequate review

The suit argues that the National Park Service failed to conduct a thorough environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act and asks the court to prevent any demolition or construction until an "appropriate environmental review" is completed. The complaint names Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting NPS director Jessica Bowron as defendants. The Park Service has itself acknowledged that the arch, given its scale, would "adversely affect" the visual link between the cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial, including the view from President John F. Kennedy's grave, according to the New York Times. The county further argues the project would clog thoroughfares needed by emergency transport and would necessitate diverting certain flights into and out of Reagan National Airport, increasing noise and air pollution.

Aviation safety concerns

The arch would sit within the main approach and departure corridors of Reagan National Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration's safety determination requires the structure to be marked with the flame atop it and floodlight projectors so pilots can see it. The FAA dropped an earlier requirement for red obstruction lights, which it generally mandates on buildings taller than 200 feet (61 meters) near airports, such as the 555-foot (169-meter) Washington Monument nearby. Some aviation experts have raised safety concerns given the arch's proximity to the airport corridor. The day before the lawsuit, Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said the arch compounds multiple safety issues that have gone unaddressed since a deadly January 2025 crash over the Potomac River that killed 67 people. She also criticized Trump's plan to turn the arch into a military complex able to host drones and snipers while storing ammunition.

Earlier challenges and approvals

Three veterans and a historian sued earlier in federal court in Washington, arguing the arch would destroy the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. A federal judge in Washington last month ordered the Trump administration to give 48 hours' notice before engaging in any activity on the arch site, except work to identify underground cultural artifacts. Last month, Trump said he would convert the arch into a military complex. The Commission of Fine Arts has given early approval, though all of its members were tapped by Trump. The administration contends it does not need congressional approval, noting that lawmakers a century ago authorized a somewhat similar project near the site.

Local reaction and next steps

Matt de Ferranti, chair of the Arlington County Board, said in a statement that the county has acted in good faith in the review process and pointed to the "severe, unique, and wide-ranging negative impacts" the project would have on the county and its residents. He said:

The Arlington County Board has filed this lawsuit because our community has the most to lose from this egregious and unlawful proposed project.

The administration plans for the arch to come before the National Capital Planning Commission for a final vote on 5 November, two days after the midterm elections. Reuters reports the project could win approval as early as next month.