ARLINGTON, Va. — The Arlington County Virginia government sued the Trump administration Thursday to block construction of a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, arguing that federal officials have failed to conduct the environmental review required before work can begin.
“The Arlington County Board has filed this lawsuit because our community has the most to lose from this egregious and unlawful proposed project,” said Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti.“We have diligently and in good faith engaged in the review process, pointing out severe, unique, and wide-ranging negative impacts to the county and our residents. Despite these concerns and that process not being complete, it was recently, unilaterally, announced that the project will move forward anyway—entirely disregarding protocol and months of work. Enough is enough.”
The complaint, filed in federal court in Virginia, challenges the National Park Service’s handling of the monument planned for Memorial Circle, the traffic roundabout at the Virginia end of Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Although the site lies within the District of Columbia, it borders Arlington and sits along a prominent approach to the cemetery.
The county contends that the Park Service performed only a cursory review of the project and failed to adequately examine its effects on the surrounding landscape, transportation and nearby historic places. It seeks to prevent demolition or construction until an appropriate environmental assessment is completed.
President Donald Trump has promoted the arch as a monument to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Administration officials have argued that existing congressional authority for the Arlington Memorial Bridge project permits the construction without a new act of Congress. Opponents dispute that interpretation.
The county’s lawsuit follows a separate challenge brought by military veterans and a preservation advocate who argue that the structure would intrude on the historic vista between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. A federal judge in that case previously required advance notice before most work at the site.
Arlington’s elected board authorized its county attorney in September to pursue litigation if federal officials moved ahead without completing required approvals. At the time, Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said the county would act to protect its residents if the administration disregarded the review process.
The suit has been supported by the organization Democracy Forward, who is providing legal assistance to the Arlington County government. “The president is not allowed to bypass legal review requirements just because he wants to move quickly on his own whims, and NPS clearly violated the law by failing to conduct an adequate review of the arch project,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet, we don’t need vanity projects.”
Critics have raised concerns about the arch’s height, its effect on cemetery visitors and its proximity to Reagan National Airport. Federal aviation officials have separately reviewed potential aircraft hazards associated with the structure.
The administration hopes to secure final planning approval in November. Arlington’s new lawsuit asks the court to prevent construction while the environmental dispute is resolved.
