A group of Vietnam War veterans, joined by an architectural historian, is suing the Trump administration to halt construction of a proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch near the main entrance of Arlington National Cemetery. The lawsuit, filed in February and led by the nonprofit Public Citizen, argues that the project violates federal law requiring congressional authorization for new monuments on federal land in Washington, D.C.
The arch, which would be built on Memorial Circle—a traffic roundabout between the Lincoln Memorial and the cemetery—has drawn sharp criticism from veterans, their families, and Democratic lawmakers, who call it a presidential vanity project that disrespects the hallowed grounds where over 400,000 service members and their families are buried.
Shaun Byrnes, an 83-year-old Navy veteran who served in Vietnam, is one of the plaintiffs. He told NPR that the arch would dishonor his fallen comrades, including those whose bodies were never recovered.
Byrnes, who spent 30 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, said he never imagined suing his own government but feels compelled to protect the cemetery's dignity.
The Trump administration contends that Congress authorized the project in 1925 for two 166-foot columns that were never built, but critics argue that this prior authorization does not cover a vastly different structure. The Commission for Fine Arts, packed with Trump appointees, approved the design last month, and the National Capital Planning Commission gave preliminary approval despite public opposition.
The National Park Service is accepting public comments until June 15.
At a recent public meeting, nearly two dozen people spoke against the arch, including Marine Corps combat veteran Jimi Shaughnessy, who noted that President Trump himself said the arch was for him. Shaughnessy called it a waste of time, land, and money, urging the administration to restore funding to the Department of Veterans Affairs instead.
Major veterans' groups like the American Legion have not taken a formal position, but individual veterans and families have voiced strong objections. The arch, designed to celebrate America's 250th birthday, would take two to three years to build and permanently alter the historic landscape.
The lawsuit seeks to block construction until Congress gives explicit approval, with a judge yet to rule on the project's legality.