Dozens of activists, lawmakers, and veterans converged on Memorial Circle in Washington, D.C., during Thursday’s rush hour to demonstrate against President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot-tall arch. The demonstrators, who stood beside a tarp mockup of the structure, expressed opposition to the project’s scale, cost, and lack of Congressional authorization, as well as concerns regarding its proximity to Arlington National Cemetery.
Jon Gundersen, a retired Army veteran and former Foreign Service officer who is among the Vietnam War veterans suing the Trump administration over the arch, traveled from South Carolina to address the crowd. The protest, organized in part by Public Citizen, which is leading the legal challenge, was titled “Vets over Vanity.” Gundersen told NPR that the show of support was encouraging, noting that both Republicans and Democrats he spoke with viewed the project as a waste of funds that fails to properly honor veterans.
Speakers at the event emphasized that veterans and gold star families were excluded from the planning process. Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., delivered a scathing critique of the president, calling him a “five-time draft dodging coward” for what she described as an attempt to dishonor those buried at Arlington.
The White House has defended the project to NPR, stating the arch will improve the visitor experience at the cemetery and serve as a reminder of American heroes’ sacrifices. However, critics argue that resources would be better spent enhancing services for veterans rather than constructing a monument with an observation deck.
While the protest highlighted public dissent, the primary strategy for stopping the construction remains legal. Veterans are pursuing a lawsuit to block the arch, and organizers indicated that hopes for halting the project also rest on the results of the midterm elections scheduled for next month.
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