Virginia, D.C. Sue to Block Trump's 250-Foot Arch Before Work Starts Next Week
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 31
Virginia, D.C. Sue to Block Trump's 250-Foot Arch Before Work Starts Next Week
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 31
Summary
Virginia and the District of Columbia sued Saturday to stop the Trump administration from starting construction of President Trump’s planned 250-foot arch as early as next week.
The complaint calls the project “flagrantly unlawful,” alleging it lacks required congressional authorization for a monument on federal land in Washington and violates the Commemorative Works Act.
The suit also cites the Administrative Procedure Act, National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act, saying officials rushed ahead without required consultation or alternatives review.
A separate claim targets the Height of Buildings Act, which generally bars structures above 130 feet in the capital, putting the arch’s proposed height at the center of the challenge.
Filed by Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, the case adds to several lawsuits already contesting an arch Trump says is for himself but aides also frame as a national-security need.