Trump Says Proposed Arlington Arch Will Honor Veterans

President Donald Trump used a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on November 11 to say that a proposed triumphal arch near the cemetery would be dedicated to veterans and the military. The project remains temporarily blocked while legal challenges proceed.

Trump said veterans had waited 200 years for the arch, which he has proposed building in a traffic circle near the cemetery. The structure, planned at 250 feet, has drawn challenges from Vietnam War veterans, Virginia, the District of Columbia, Arlington County and members of the Kennedy family. The lawsuits contest the project’s authorization and its potential effects on the surrounding area.

Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order barring construction work for 14 days. The order followed approval of the project by a federal planning board, according to court reporting. Chutkan is to consider whether to impose a longer-lasting block as she weighs the challenges. A separate federal judge in Virginia is due to review Arlington County’s concerns at a hearing.

Nine Kennedy family members argued in their lawsuit that the arch would interfere with the intended sightline from President John...