Virginia county sues to stop Trump from building his beloved triumphal arch

Arlington County, Virginia, is suing the Trump administration to block construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch. The county argues federal officials failed to adequately assess the project’s environmental, safety and historic impacts.The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the arch’s design in May, despite widespread public opposition. All the commissioners who signed off on it were appointed by Trump.Filed Thursday in federal court in Virginia, the lawsuit seeks to halt demolition and construction until the administration completes a legally sufficient environmental review. “Using the Arch to store large stockpiles of ammunition and as a staging point for drones and snipers, so close to commuters and tourists, will dramatically worsen these public-safety harms and the risk of accidents,” the county’s attorneys wrote.Arlington County is suing the Trump administration to halt construction of a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch, alleging officials failed to adequately assess its environmental, safety and historic impacts (AFP/Getty)“The Arch will … directly obstruct the line of sight between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery that was deliberately created to symbolize the nation’s post-Civil War reunification,” they continued.The county alleges the National Park Service violated the National Environmental Policy Act by rushing the process and failing to fully consider alternatives or the potential harm to nearby communities.The proposed monument would stand at Memorial Circle, a traffic roundabout near Arlington National Cemetery and across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Trump wants the arch completed to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. If built as planned, it would be the tallest triumphal arch in the world.County officials warn the structure could increase traffic, disrupt emergency transportation routes and worsen air quality and noise levels for Arlington’s nearly 245,000 residents.They also argue it would obstruct historic views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, a corridor designed to symbolize the nation’s reunification after the Civil War.The lawsuit names the Department of the Interior, Secretary Doug Burgum, the NPS and acting NPS Director Jessica Bowron as defendants.Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which is representing the county alongside its legal team, criticized the project in a Thursday news release.“At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet, we don’t need vanity projects. This project will do significant harm to the people of Arlington County,” Perryman said.Just days before Arlington County, Virginia, filed the lawsuit, demonstrators protested Trump’s proposed triumphal arch at its planned site in Memorial Circle in Washington, D.C. (Reuters)The lawsuit marks the first time a government entity has challenged the proposed arch in court. A group of Vietnam War veterans also sued the administration in February, filing challenges in February and September over concerns that the monument would obstruct historic sightlines and damage the area’s cultural significance. The veterans sought an emergency court order in September to prevent construction from moving forward.Although the NPS supported the proposed location earlier this fall, the agency’s review found the monument would have “adverse effects” on several historic sites and Washington’s skyline.The arch is part of Trump’s “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Again” efforts, which have included disastrous renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, controversial changes to the White House Rose Garden and an ongoing legal battle over his plans for the Kennedy Center.The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.