The coalition of VoteVets, Home of the Brave and the Cultural Landscape Foundation launched a campaign to block a proposed 250-foot Monumental Arch in Washington, arguing it would break the historic sightline to Arlington National Cemetery and disrespect those buried there. Ret. Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton and Gold Star mother Karen Meredith feature in a video criticizing the plan, especially the proposed observation deck. The groups urge public comments to the National Capital Planning Commission ahead of its Oct. 1 vote. Officials briefly suggested breaking ground, but the Justice Department says no construction is taking place now.
Veterans and Landscape Experts Rally to Block Trump's Proposed 250-Foot 'Monumental Arch' Near Arlington
A coalition of veterans' groups and preservation experts on Tuesday launched a public campaign to stop President Donald Trump’s proposal to build a 250-foot-tall Monumental Arch in Washington, D.C. The groups say the plan would break the historic sightlines between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery and is deeply disrespectful to those buried at Arlington.
VoteVets, Home of the Brave and the Cultural Landscape Foundation released a short video that features retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, a Gold Star mother and the CEO of the landscape foundation outlining why they oppose the project. The Cultural Landscape Foundation is also currently suing the administration over a controversial effort to paint the basin of the Reflecting Pool bright blue.
"What the administration proposes is to plant a 250-foot-tall arch … to break the sight line between the Lincoln Memorial and the cemetery, which is entirely inappropriate and borders on sacrilege to the men and women buried [there]," Eaton says in the video.
Karen Meredith, whose son was killed in the Iraq War and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, singled out plans for an observation deck atop the proposed structure. "We don't need tourists overlooking funerals," Meredith says. "I'm just appalled."
The groups are urging members of the public to submit comments to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) ahead of the panel's scheduled Oct. 1 vote on final approval for the project, and to contact elected officials to register opposition.
Last week, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum reportedly suggested he planned to break ground on the arch despite the NCPC not having granted final approval and an ongoing lawsuit by Vietnam veterans. The Justice Department subsequently clarified that no construction is happening at this time.
The campaign brings together military families and design professionals who argue the arch would irreparably alter the capital's historic plan and the solemn character of Arlington. The groups expect public opposition and legal challenges to play a key role in the fate of the proposal as the NCPC prepares to vote.
How you can help: Submit a public comment to the National Capital Planning Commission before Oct. 1 and contact your elected representatives to express concerns about the project.
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