News Releases

MEDIA CLIPS: Attorney General Jay Jones Sues to Block Donald Trump’s Illegal Vanity Project 

The Commonwealth joins Washington, DC in fight against Triumphal Arch 

***READ THE FULL FILING HERE*** 

RICHMOND, Va. -- Attorney General Jones and DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit on Saturday, October 31, 2026 to block construction of Donald Trump’s illegal “triumphal” arch, arguing that the project is an affront to our nation’s capital.  

“Virginia takes immense pride in being home to Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of generations of American heroes who gave their lives defending our nation. President Trump’s illegal vanity project is an affront to this hallowed ground and the extraordinary sacrifices it represents. The Commonwealth has a solemn duty and a profound interest in preserving the dignity of this sacred place. We will vigorously litigate to protect its sanctity and honor the legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Attorney General Jay Jones. 

"Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place of generations of Americans who have answered the call to defend the promise of our nation," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "President Trump's proposed 250-foot arch would literally cast a shadow on this hallowed ground and overshadow the legacy of the generations of courageous men and women who are laid to rest at Arlington." 

“This proposed project is flagrantly illegal and will cause serious and immediate harm to the District and its residents. We’re filing this lawsuit now to protect DC’s unique interests and critical role in this process,” said DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb. 

The Washington Post: D.C. and Virginia sue to block Trump’s proposed triumphal arch 

The D.C. government and the Commonwealth of Virginia sued Saturday to block construction of President Donald Trump’s planned triumphal arch, calling it a “flagrantly unlawful” project that will forever change the landscape of the nation’s capital. 

The lawsuit is the latest attempt to stop the 250-foot-tall arch, which Trump hopes to build near Arlington National Cemetery and says will commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday. The administration would like to begin construction as soon as next week. 

The two jurisdictions are asking U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan to halt the plan and argue that they have “indisputable standing” to bring their lawsuit because the towering arch would have tangible, negative effects on the region — an argument that distinguishes their lawsuit from others that have tried to stop Trump’s construction projects. 

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb (D) said the arch construction would cause “serious, immediate and irreparable harm to the District and its residents,” while Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) said “Trump’s illegal vanity project” would be an affront to Arlington National Cemetery and the “extraordinary sacrifices it represents.” 

“The Commonwealth has a solemn duty and a profound interest in preserving the dignity of this sacred place,” Jones said in a statement. “We will vigorously litigate to protect its sanctity and honor the legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.” 

The arch already faces legal peril. In a separate case brought by three Vietnam War veterans and a historic preservationist, Chutkan on Friday signaled she might block it. That case was consolidated Saturday with the new lawsuit from D.C. and Virginia, and another hearing could come this week. 

TIME: D.C. and Virginia Join the Fight to Block Trump’s Triumphal Arch. What Happens Next? 

Washington, D.C., and Virginia sued the National Park Service and Interior Department on Saturday in a last-minute bid to stop construction on President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch. The Trump Administration has said that construction could begin as early as next week. 

The new challenge joins two existing lawsuits against the arch, adding to a series of legal battles testing the limits of Trump’s authority to remake Washington. 

Calling the project “flagrantly unlawful,” the lawsuit points to the Commemorative Works Act, which requires Congressional authorization for memorials on federal land in Washington and its environs. The lawsuit also alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, arguing that the Administration failed to adequately assess the project’s effects and consult as required. 

“In their rush to break ground on the Arch, Defendants have made only half-hearted gestures at complying with these requirements,” the lawsuit filed Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb, claims. “Perhaps recognizing that the project is legally indefensible, Defendants have made clear that they will attempt to outrun judicial review.” 

“The Commonwealth has a solemn duty and a profound interest in preserving the dignity of this sacred place,” Jones said in a statement to the Washington Post. “We will vigorously litigate to protect its sanctity and honor the legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.” 

AP: Virginia and DC sue over Trump’s arch, adding to legal challenges as government wants work to begin 

The legal challenges to President Donald Trump’s proposed memorial arch are mounting, with the District of Columbia and Virginia suing in federal court Saturday as the administration says construction could begin as early as next week. 

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan proceeded to consolidate that lawsuit with the original one she is overseeing and ordered a joint briefing schedule for the lawsuits. 

All the plaintiffs are calling for a halt to potential work on a monument that would rise 250 feet (76 meters) on a patch of grass off the bridge that spans the Potomac River, connecting the city with Arlington National Cemetery. That would make the arch 100 feet taller (30 meters) than the Statue of Liberty is from its base to the top of the torch. 

Chutkan is already considering issuing an order to halt the project until the original lawsuit against the Trump administration by three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian is resolved. She held a hearing Friday but did not immediately act, though she said she would move expeditiously. 

In the latest filing, two attorneys general, Brian Schwalb of Washington and Jay Jones of Virginia, argue that “as soon as Defendants break ground on this project, they will inflict irreparable harm on both the District and Virginia. The Arch site sits at the center of a major traffic artery between the District and Virginia, in the monumental core of the capital, on an island that straddles the Potomac River. 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.” 

WTOP 

NBC4 

NBC: Virginia and D.C. sue to stop proposed Trump arch 

Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in federal court Saturday in a last-ditch effort to stop the construction of the triumphal arch planned for Memorial Circle in Washington. 

The Trump administration has said it plans to begin construction of the arch next week, on Nov. 5.  

“The construction of the Arch will inflict immediate and irreparable harm on the District and Virginia,” Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in the lawsuit. “The Arch is slated to be built on a busy traffic circle that abuts the border between the jurisdictions, at the center of a historic viewshed, in a river whose environment the District has a statutory responsibility to protect.” 

“Both the construction of the Arch and the completed monument will disrupt the operations of both jurisdictions, impair their ability to carry out their responsibilities under federal and local law, and require the expenditure of substantial resources to mitigate and address those impacts,” they added. 

The attorneys general wrote that their request to block construction is urgent. 

“It is entirely foreseeable that, once construction begins, Defendants will argue, as they have done in other cases, that an order halting construction would irreparably harm the federal government, pose security risks, and impermissibly alter the status quo they have unilaterally created,” they said. “The Court should not allow this cynical gambit to succeed.” 

Jones and Schwalb added that they believe the administration is violating the Commemorative Works Act by bypassing specific congressional authorization and violating the Height of Buildings Act by constructing an arch that’s set to exceed 130 feet in height. They also alleged violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act. 

NPR: Virginia and D.C. sue to block construction of Trump arch 

The Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Saturday to block construction on President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch. 

The 45-page lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia called the project "flagrantly unlawful," attorneys general Jay Jones of Virginia and Brian Schwalb of the District of Columbia wrote. 

The New York Times: Trump’s Arch Faces New Legal Challenge From Virginia and D.C. 

The District of Columbia and Virginia on Saturday sued the Trump administration to block construction of the president’s planned 250-foot arch, which he wants to begin building as early as next week. 

“This project is flagrantly unlawful,” the lawsuit states. 

The suit accuses the Trump administration of violating the Commemorative Works Act and a section of federal law that requires the federal government to obtain specific congressional authorization before building a monument on federal land in Washington. 

The plaintiffs cite the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, which require a process of consultation and considering alternatives before rushing forward with the project. The suit also says plans for the arch violate the Height of Buildings Act, which with limited exceptions prohibits structures taller than 130 feet in the capital. 

Newsweek: DC, Virginia Sue to Block Trump’s 250-Foot Arch After Judge Questions Plan 

Washington, D.C., and Virginia sued the Trump administration on Saturday to block President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, escalating the legal battle days before construction could begin. 

The two jurisdictions called the project “flagrantly unlawful” and asked a federal court to halt construction and site preparation at Memorial Circle. 

[...] 

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones told Newsweek on Saturday that Trump’s proposed arch was an “illegal vanity project” and “an affront to this hallowed ground and the extraordinary sacrifices it represents.” 

“The Commonwealth has a solemn duty and a profound interest in preserving the dignity of this sacred place,” Jones said. “We will vigorously litigate to protect its sanctity and honor the legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.” 

D.C. and Virginia argue that the arch cannot legally be built without approval from Congress. 

Their complaint cites the Commemorative Works Act, which requires specific congressional authorization for covered commemorative works, as well as a separate federal statute that says a building or structure cannot be erected on federal land in the District without express congressional authority. 

Politico: DC and Virginia sue to block Trump arch construction 

Washington, D.C., and Virginia filed a lawsuit Saturday seeking to block the construction of President Donald Trump’s planned Triumphal Arch on the outskirts of the nation’s capital. 

It’s the latest in a volley of legal efforts to stop the president from remaking the city in his image. Construction on the 250-foot arch — which would tower over the nearby Arlington National Cemetery — could begin as soon as Nov. 5, the administration indicated in an October court filing. 

The Hill: DC, Virginia sue to block Trump’s triumphal arch 

Washington, D.C., and Virginia sued the National Parks Service and Interior Department to block President Trump’s proposed triumphal arch on Saturday, a new court filing shows. 

The planned arch would resemble arches in other cities, including Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, and be constructed on the border between D.C. and Virginia. 

ABC: Virginia and DC sue over Trump's arch, adding to legal challenges as government wants work to begin 

The legal challenges to President Donald Trump’s proposed memorial arch are mounting, with the District of Columbia and Virginia suing in federal court Saturday as the administration says construction could begin as early as next week. 

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan proceeded to consolidate that lawsuit with the original one she is overseeing and ordered a joint briefing schedule for the lawsuits. 

All the plaintiffs are calling for a halt to potential work on a monument that would rise 250 feet (76 meters) on a patch of grass off the bridge that spans the Potomac River, connecting the city with Arlington National Cemetery. That would make the arch 100 feet taller (30 meters) than the Statue of Liberty is from its base to the top of the torch. 

FOX5: DC and Virginia file federal lawsuit to block proposed Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle 

The District of Columbia and Virginia have filed a joint federal lawsuit against the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior to block the proposed Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle. 

WDBJ7: Virginia, DC sue federal government to stop planned triumphal arch 

The District of Columbia and Virginia jointly filed a federal lawsuit Saturday to block construction of a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near the Potomac River. 

[...] 

Attorneys argued in the filing that the project lacks congressional authority, specifically saying the project defies the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. § 8903) and 40 U.S.C. § 8106, which requires authorization from Congress to construct monuments or structures on federal land in the capital. 

WSLS: Virginia and DC sue over Trump's arch, adding to legal challenges as government wants work to begin 

The legal challenges to President Donald Trump’s proposed memorial arch are mounting, with the District of Columbia and Virginia suing in federal court Saturday as the administration says construction could begin as early as next week. 

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan proceeded to consolidate that lawsuit with the original one she is overseeing and ordered a joint briefing schedule for the lawsuits. 

The Washington Sun: D.C., Virginia Sue Trump Administration Over Proposed Triumphal Arch 

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb and Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones are suing the Trump administration over the president’s proposed triumphal arch, seeking to block its construction by arguing that the project violates the District’s building height restrictions and poses environmental and safety threats to both jurisdictions. 

The lawsuit, filed Saturday, joins a growing collection of legal challenges to the 250-foot tall structure. Officials in Arlington County have also sued the Trump administration over the arch, arguing the government had failed to complete a mandatory environmental review. A group of Vietnam War veterans filed a lawsuit in February, arguing it would impede on the nearby Arlington National Cemetery. 

Law Commentary: D.C. and Virginia Sue Trump to Stop His 250-Foot Arch 

Washington, D.C., and Virginia sued President Donald Trump's administration Saturday, October 31, 2026, seeking an emergency court order to stop construction of his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, with work potentially beginning November 5. 

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb and Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones accuse federal officials of advancing the monument without congressional authorization or required environmental and historic preservation reviews. Their lawsuit warns that three years of construction would disrupt traffic, interfere with emergency services and damage surrounding waterways. 

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan consolidated the new lawsuit with an earlier challenge brought by three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian. A day earlier, she questioned the administration's urgency to begin construction before the court decides whether the project is lawful. 

The arch would stand at Memorial Circle, where Arlington Memorial Bridge connects Washington to Virginia. Federal plans submitted Friday call for a winged Lady Liberty statue, an observation deck, offices, elevators and a fire command center, along with changes to surrounding roads. 

Trump has promoted the monument as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations. The proposed structure would rise approximately 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty itself and occupy a prominent location along the historic corridor between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. 

Schwalb and Jones argue that road closures, construction equipment and altered traffic patterns would affect thousands of commuters traveling between Virginia and Washington. Their complaint also warns that the work could complicate emergency evacuations and increase pollution and stormwater runoff into the Potomac River. 

Published on: November 2, 2026

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