D.C. attorney general sues to block Monumental Arch, saying it skipped Congress's approval process

The Attorney General for the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on November 4, on behalf of the District, challenging the proposed Monumental Arch at Memorial Circle. Newly reelected D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson submitted a declaration in support of the case and issued a statement the same day explaining why. Memorial Circle sits at the Washington end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, next to the Lincoln Memorial.

Mendelson: the issue is not whether one likes the arch, but the process

Mendelson is himself a member of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). In his statement he said Congress established a process for approving memorials for good reason — what is commemorated, where it is commemorated, and how a memorial fits into Washington's historic landscape are important decisions that deserve careful consideration — but the proposed arch has not gone through that process, and the commission has been asked to move forward without the information, consultation and approvals required by law, which he said prevents him from fully carrying out his responsibilities as a commission member. He added: "This is not about whether one likes or dislikes the Arch. It is about following the law and respecting the responsibilities Congress assigned to the Commission."

Next step: planning commission to consider final plans on November 5

The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to meet at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, to consider final site and building plans for the arch. The meeting will be held virtually, and members of the public are expected to testify. Whether the lawsuit will have any effect before the meeting has not been disclosed. This site reported on October 22 that a Justice Department court filing showed construction could start as early as November 5; with the District now intervening through the courts, that timetable faces fresh uncertainty.

(Source: PoPville, November 4, 2026, quoting the statement from the office of Council Chairman Phil Mendelson. Cover photo is a file photo of Arlington Memorial Bridge and the Lincoln Memorial.)