Veterans, Progressives, and Democrats Unite to Resist Trump’s Vanity Arch in Washington
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A broad coalition of activists, veterans, and Democratic lawmakers rallied at Memorial Circle to denounce President Trump’s proposed 250-foot arch, condemning its exorbitant cost, disrespectful location, and lack of democratic oversight. The project faces legal and political hurdles as public outrage grows ahead of the midterms.
Dozens of veterans, retirees, lawmakers, and progressive activists gathered at Memorial Circle in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to protest President Trump’s latest attempt at self-glorification: a 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery. The demonstration, organized in part by the advocacy group Public Citizen, featured a tarp mock-up of the proposed monument and impassioned speeches highlighting its massive cost, undemocratic process, and the threat it poses to the sanctity of a historic site.
"It's the wrong monument, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, dedicated to the wrong man," declared Jon Gundersen, a retired Army veteran and one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging what many see as a monument to Trump’s ego rather than to the nation’s heroes.
Gundersen, who traveled from South Carolina, called the arch "a waste of money" and emphasized that it does nothing to honor veterans. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) echoed these sentiments, condemning the proposal and insisting that taxpayer dollars would be better spent on desperately needed services for veterans, rather than on another monument to Trump’s legacy.
"Imagine tourists coming up to this arch looking at the funerals at Arlington. It's not only wrong and inappropriate, it's obscene and should never be done," Gundersen added, underscoring the deep disrespect the project represents.
Protesters also raised serious safety concerns, pointing out that the arch would be built near a busy airport approach and that the Trump administration has floated the idea of using the structure for military drones and snipers, further militarizing public space. Representative Don Beyer (D-Va.) questioned the administration’s motives, suggesting that the invocation of national security is a cynical ploy to sway the courts.
The White House, clinging to its narrative, claims the arch would "enhance the visitor experience" and honor veterans, but officials have stonewalled media inquiries about its militaristic features. The project is now under federal review, with the National Capital Planning Commission set to consider it in early November, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation bypassing normal channels to submit its recommendations directly to the Interior Secretary.
Activists warned that ongoing legal battles and mounting public pressure, combined with the upcoming midterm elections, could derail the project. Duckworth pointed out that a change in congressional control could cut off funding for the arch, while Beyer stressed that a broad movement is ready to resist if construction begins. The fight against Trump’s monument to himself continues.