Virginia and Washington DC Ask Court to Halt Trump's Memorial Arch

The District of Columbia, home to the US capital Washington, and the state of Virginia filed a federal lawsuit on Saturday seeking to stop construction of the memorial arch planned by US President Donald Trump. The administration has said work could start as early as next week. It is the third lawsuit against the project.

The 250ft (76m) monument would stand on a patch of grass beside the bridge over the Potomac River that links the city with Arlington National Cemetery. That would make it about 100ft (30m) taller than the Statue of Liberty measured from base to torch tip.

The states' arguments

Washington DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb and Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones say that breaking ground would cause irreparable harm. In their view, the site sits on a major traffic artery between the two jurisdictions. Over three years of construction, they argue, the project would inevitably snarl traffic, create pollution and storm water runoff in the Potomac, and interfere with emergency services. The suit also notes that joint emergency operations are the norm in the region, where a midair collision between a US military helicopter and a passenger airliner in January 2025 killed 67 people.

Like the original plaintiffs, the two seek a temporary restraining order to slow the administration's plans to begin construction imminently. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Court proceedings

The first lawsuit was brought by three Vietnam war veterans and an architectural historian. US district judge Tanya Chutkan held a hearing on Friday but did not immediately rule, saying she would move expeditiously. She is considering halting the project until that case is resolved.

In a recent court filing, the administration said it planned to seek final approval at Thursday's meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission and possibly start building the same day.

What the plan envisions

On Friday the government submitted a 106-page plan. It describes a structure more than 12 stories high, with a large bronze statue of Lady Liberty with wings, carrying a torch with an eternal flame. It would include an observation deck, an "occupied roof", two mezzanines, offices, a staff lounge, circular staircases, several elevators and a "fire command center". Traffic in the area would be rerouted. Administration officials say the arch will also serve a national security function.