Virginia and D.C. sue over Trump’s arch, adding to mounting legal challenges

October 31, 2026 / 1:42 PM EDT / CBS/AP

The legal challenges to President 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.

There are now three lawsuits calling for a halt to potential work on a monument that would rise 250 feet 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 than the Statue of Liberty from its base to the top of the torch.

U.S. District Judge Tanya 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 lawsuit, two attorneys general, Brian Schwalb of Washington, D.C., 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…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/