The White House Says Congress Already Said Yes a Century Ago
The Archives Tell a Different Story: Columns, Not an Arch
Plaintiffs suing to stop the project call that reading "entirely untethered from the Act's text." Their memo notes that the 1924 plans included two columns but not an arch, that the very commission Congress empowered later removed the columns, and that the bridge was completed more than ninety years ago without them. David Maloney, the District of Columbia's historic preservation officer, told the National Park Service in a recorded September meeting that the administration's theory "just doesn't pass the laugh test."
A 76-Foot Landmark Between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington
A $250 Million Price Tag, Paid by Private Donors
The administration puts the cost at up to $250 million, covered entirely by private donations, though some reports cite a $100 million to $250 million range. Critics, including protesters pictured alongside Senator Tammy Duckworth, call it a vanity project that would block views toward Arlington National Cemetery. Senator Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Senate subcommittee overseeing federal parks, plans legislation to bar federal funding for the arch.
The Vanishing Military Complex
Two Lawsuits, One Deadline: November 5
Two lawsuits challenge the project. The Arlington County Board sued on October 8, 2026, in the Eastern District of Virginia, the first government body to take legal action. Separately, three Vietnam War veterans and a retired architectural historian asked U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan for a preliminary injunction barring construction without congressional approval, citing the White House ballroom dispute as a "cautionary tale" against letting the president create facts on the ground. The administration told the court that site work could begin as soon as November 5, the same day the planning commission votes on final site and building plans; the plaintiffs seek a ruling by November 4. Chutkan previously ordered 48 hours' notice for site activity beyond permitted information gathering and 14 days' notice for construction or demolition.
