Nicolai Haugsted
Military veterans are demanding that a federal judge put Trump’s controversial project on hold.
Donald Trump has never been particularly shy about leaving his mark on the buildings and properties associated with his name.
Now, the American president has considerably bigger ambitions for the nation’s capital, where he wants to erect a monument that would stand taller than many of Washington’s most recognizable landmarks.
The proposed structure would rise 250 feet above Memorial Circle, near Arlington National Cemetery, and carry an estimated price tag of at least $100 million.
But while the White House is pushing to get construction underway, a group of veterans has other ideas, according to The Associated Press.
A fresh legal challenge threatens to derail Trump’s plans just as his administration prepares to secure the final approvals for the enormous triumphal arch.
Veterans demand an immediate halt
Three military veterans and a retired architectural historian have asked federal Judge Tanya Chutkan to intervene before construction begins.
The plaintiffs are already suing the Trump administration over the proposed monument, arguing that the president cannot proceed without congressional authorization.
Their latest filing seeks a court order preventing the administration and the National Park Service from taking any action toward building the arch while the lawsuit remains unresolved.
According to the Associated Press, the group wants the government prohibited:
“From taking any steps to construct, or to direct or facilitate construction of, any structure in Memorial Circle, absent congressional authorization, during the pendency of this litigation.”
The request follows new information about just how quickly the administration intends to move.
And judging by the government’s own court documents, Trump is not planning to spend much time waiting around.
Construction could begin just two days after the midterms
The administration has identified November 5 as a possible starting date for construction.
That is just two days after the US midterm elections.
The National Capital Planning Commission is expected to consider the final site and construction plans on that date.
Should the commission grant approval, and the Interior Department also give the project the green light, construction could theoretically begin immediately.
Trump’s lawyers confirmed the possibility in a court filing submitted Wednesday.
“NPS may publish such notice as early as November 5, 2026, and construction could commence as early as November 5, 2026,” the filing stated.
For the plaintiffs, the accelerated timetable has raised concerns that work could begin before the court has ruled on the underlying legal dispute.
Their Thursday filing accused the administration of showing little interest in waiting for a judicial decision.
According to the plaintiffs, the government’s notice:
“Makes clear that the defendants have no intention of awaiting this court’s decision on the cross-motions for summary judgment and have every intention of imminently beginning construction of the arch on Memorial Circle.”
Judge Chutkan, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, has instructed both sides to submit an agreed briefing schedule by noon Friday.
Arlington Cemetery is at the heart of the dispute
The proposed location is among the most controversial aspects of Trump’s project.
Memorial Circle sits opposite Arlington National Cemetery, one of America’s most important military burial grounds.
The plaintiffs argue that a 250-foot monument would interfere with historic views across Washington and diminish the character of the cemetery’s surroundings.
They also maintain that congressional approval is legally necessary before such a structure can be built.
The veterans are not the only ones challenging the administration.
Arlington County in Virginia has launched a separate lawsuit, accusing federal agencies of disregarding environmental and public safety requirements in their effort to accelerate the project.
Critics have nicknamed the proposed monument the “Arc de Trump,” a reference to the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
The comparison is hardly surprising given the scale of the planned structure, although its opponents question whether such a prominent addition belongs near a national military cemetery.
Trump has floated a rather unusual second purpose
The monument’s intended function has also attracted attention.
According to recently published architectural plans, the arch is designed as a “ceremonial gateway.”
Trump, however, has previously suggested something considerably more elaborate.
The president has claimed that the structure could potentially double as a military defensive position, complete with drones, sniper locations and ammunition.
Such a proposal would give the decorative monument a role far beyond greeting visitors to the nation’s capital.
The published blueprints, however, describe the structure in ceremonial terms rather than as a military installation.
