Virginia and D.C. Seek Court Order to Halt 250-Foot Trump Arch

The Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Saturday to stop construction of a proposed triumphal arch. The legal action was submitted to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The 45-page document describes the project as flagrantly unlawful. The suit seeks a temporary restraining order to pause work before it begins.

President Donald Trump unveiled plans for the 250-foot structure in October 2025. The arch would stand between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. At that height, it would be twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial. The current plans do not include military elements, such as weapons or snipers, that Trump previously described. The National Capital Planning Commission will review the design.

Attorneys General Jay Jones of Virginia and Brian Schwalb of the District of Columbia wrote that construction could start as soon as next week. They argued the project will inflict irreparable harm on both jurisdictions. The filing claims the arch will snarl traffic between the two areas. They stated that both regions will need to take immediate and costly steps to mitigate these effects. The attorneys general noted that the defendants refused to adequately consult with either jurisdiction during the approval process.

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkin ordered the parties to discuss a proposed briefing schedule on the motion for a temporary restraining order. The deadline for this discussion is Saturday evening. The White House and the Interior Department did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit as of Saturday.

The lawsuit is the latest legal effort to block the arch. It follows the administration's plan to begin construction in the coming week. The court will now determine the next steps for the temporary restraining order motion.