ARLINGTON, Va. — A group of Vietnam War veterans is suing the Trump administration to block construction of a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, arguing the monument would dishonor those buried there and disrupt a historic sightline.
The project, known as the United States Triumphal Arch or Independence Arch, is intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence. It would be located at Memorial Circle, a traffic circle on Memorial Drive between the Arlington Memorial Bridge and the cemetery entrance in Arlington, Virginia.
Three Vietnam War veterans — Shaun Byrnes, Jon Gundersen and Michael Lemmon — along with an architectural historian and the advocacy group Public Citizen filed the lawsuit in February 2026 in U.S. District Court in Washington. They contend the project lacks required congressional approval under the Commemorative Works Act and would interfere with the symbolic view from Arlington National Cemetery to the Lincoln Memorial, designed to represent national unity after the Civil War.
The arch would stand more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial. Critics, including several veterans’ organizations, have described it as a vanity project that overshadows the solemn character of the cemetery, which holds the remains of about 400,000 service members, veterans and their families.
Shaun Byrnes, an 83-year-old Navy veteran who served two tours in Vietnam and later worked as a U.S. diplomat, said he had planned to be buried at Arlington but is reconsidering if the arch is built. “It’s just disrespectful to those that I served with who didn’t come back, and then, of course, to all those who are lying in Arlington National Cemetery,” Byrnes said in a recent interview.
The Trump administration has defended the project as a celebration of American history. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by President Donald Trump, approved the design in May 2026. The National Capital Planning Commission has requested additional information on issues including aviation impacts, traffic and stormwater management but has not issued final approval.
Preliminary surveying and site work began in May 2026. The administration has indicated the project could be completed within two to three years, though details on funding and full regulatory approvals remain unclear.
The lawsuit is ongoing. Public comments on aspects of the project were accepted into mid-June 2026. Details on the current status of construction or the court case as of June 12, 2026, remain subject to ongoing proceedings. The Trump administration and project representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
