Vietnam Veterans, Architectural Historian Sue Over Trump Arch
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new lawsuit filed against the Trump administration today is challenging the illegal construction of a giant arch in Memorial Circle near the Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery. The plaintiffs, represented by Public Citizen Litigation Group, are three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian.
Referred to by some as the “Arc de Trump,” the arch on Memorial Circle would obstruct the historically significant view between Arlington House and the Lincoln Memorial that has existed for nearly a century. That sightline was carefully designed to symbolize the unification of the country after the Civil War and the strength of a united nation. But with the erection of this Trump vanity project, Arlington House will no longer be visible from the Lincoln Memorial, and the view of the Lincoln Memorial from Arlington House will be obscured, disrupting the historic and symbolic link between the two.
The lawsuit explains that the administration has not complied with laws specifying required steps and authorizations for constructing monuments in the District of Columbia. Critically, Congress has not authorized construction of the arch on the Circle — a first step required by statute before the government can move forward to construct a memorial on that land.
“President Trump’s plan to erect a monument in Memorial Circle without the approval of Congress is flatly unlawful,” said Wendy Liu, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group and lead counsel on this case. “We are calling on the Court to block this unlawful project.”
“I strongly believe that ours is a Nation ruled by the people, through their democratically elected representatives, and that no elected official, however powerful, is above the law,” said Michael Lemmon, a veteran of the U.S. Army who served in the Vietnam War, former United States’ Ambassador to Armenia, and a plaintiff in the case. “Integrity matters; integrity of the process and integrity of the result. To me, the President’s planned arch will be a continuous visual affront to this principle and a personal affront to people, like me, who have fought for this Nation and devoted their careers to serving it. I deeply feel a duty to my fellow veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery to honor their sacrifice and to protect their memory from being overshadowed by this vainglorious monumental arch.”
“Since 1966, I have proudly served 14 U.S. Presidents (7 Republican and 7 Democrats),” said Jon Gundersen, a veteran of the U.S. Army who served in the Vietnam War; former Chargé d’Affaires ad interim United States to Ukraine, Estonia, Iceland, and Norway; and a plaintiff in the case. “I have often visited the Arlington National Cemetery, with its inspiring view of the Lincoln and Washington monuments, and which honors those who paid the ultimate price for their country, including some of my comrades from the Vietnam War. This sacred site and this historic view should not be desecrated by the planned Arch.”
“I was stunned by the unexpected announcement that the Administration planned to build a huge monument on the hallowed ground below Arlington National Cemetery that will break the visual link between the Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial that symbolizes the rebirth of our nation after the bloody Civil War without requesting and receiving authorization from Congress, a statutory requirement,” said Shaun Byrnes, a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Vietnam and later spent thirty years in the Foreign Service in the USSR, Ukraine and in Kosovo as head of the U.S. Diplomatic Observer Mission before and during NATO’s 1999 intervention and a plaintiff in the case. “I fear this massive expression of domination will overshadow the values and spirit of those who valiantly served our country and lie in Arlington National Cemetery: duty, honor, sacrifice and love of country.”
“It would be no exaggeration to say that Arlington National Cemetery is the most hallowed site in America,” said Calder Loth, retired Senior Architectural Historian for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and a plaintiff in the case. “I am deeply concerned about the impact that a massive 250-foot arch will have on the views from the cemetery of our capital city, as well as on the historic views of Arlington House and the cemetery itself from Memorial Bridge — views that have been enthralling for millions of visitors.”
The complaint is available to read in full here. For more information, please contact eleach@citizen.org.