Few things get leftists more worked up than plans to improve and beautify the nation’s capital.
Let Washington, D.C. age, become overcome with crime, and don’t fix things that are broken — that seems to be their rallying cry. They’ve tried to halt the construction of a new much-needed White House ballroom-slash-security installation; they screamed when the administration wanted to do a simple power wash on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which was originally built in 1888 (and renamed in 1999), and they about blew a gasket when Trump sent in the National Guard to stop the endemic violence that has long plagued the seat of our government.
Now, Virginia and the District of Columbia have filed suit to nuke the planned Triumphal Arch that is scheduled to go under construction this month.
The governments of Washington D.C. and Virginia asked a federal court to block construction of President Trump's planned "triumphal arch," claiming it's unlawfully tall and would snarl traffic for years.
Why it matters: It's a last-minute gambit to stop construction before the multi-year project begins, potentially as soon as this coming week.
What they're saying: "This project is flagrantly unlawful," the two governments said in a Saturday filing in D.C. federal court, first reported by the Washington Post.
- "During the three-year period of construction, the Arch project will inevitably snarl traffic between the jurisdictions, produce pollution and stormwater runoff in the Potomac, interfere with emergency services, and pose numerous other challenges," they argue.
Among the many issues arch opponents have seized on is the claim that the arch would cast shadows on Arlington National Cemetery and block natural light from JFK’s grave and Eternal Flame, as my colleague Nick Arama reported.
Actually, that does sound kind of bad, I thought to myself, imagining entire areas of the hallowed ground never seeing the sun again. Of course, that was my initial reaction, but then I realized: the sun moves. These areas will be in shadow for a time each day, but they’re not going to be permanently sitting in the dark.
In fact, the administration argues that many of these shadows would appear in the early morning — before opening hours.
President Trump's planned 250-foot-tall arch would cast shadows on many graves and monuments in nearby Arlington National Cemetery, the @washingtonpost's 3-D analysis found.
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) October 27, 2026
On some days, Trump's arch would even shade the grave and eternal flame of JFK. pic.twitter.com/uWuEsJcpGW
President Trump's planned 250-foot-tall arch would cast shadows on many graves and monuments in nearby Arlington National Cemetery, the @washingtonpost's 3-D analysis found.
On some days, Trump's arch would even shade the grave and eternal flame of JFK.
What an excellent use of your time, Washington Post. Maybe the lefties could cut down all those pesky trees; they seem to be creating a whole lot more shadows than the arch apparently would.
It’s not the only challenge to the Arch; on Friday, the notorious anti-Trump U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan held a hearing Friday on a separate lawsuit and indicated she may block construction at least temporarily and wondered whether the president was simply aiming to “bedazzle the city.”
Oh, the horror!
The administration argues that the 250-arch at Memorial Circle would be a huge tourist attraction while also serving as a vital security installation and housing snipers and drones.
Plus, it would be a symbol of America’s greatness, and that would really tick them off.
We are pleased to announce that after a very long wait (over 125 years!), we are preparing to start, over the next two-week period, the excavation work necessary for the Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck, at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island between the Lincoln… pic.twitter.com/8aff90jKNd
— Secretary Doug Burgum (@SecretaryBurgum) September 3, 2026
We are pleased to announce that after a very long wait (over 125 years!), we are preparing to start, over the next two-week period, the excavation work necessary for the Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck, at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture, honoring the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and befitting the most powerful Capital in the World.
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