On a recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery, retired Army officer and former U.S. ambassador Michael Lemmon paused before crossing the Arlington Memorial Bridge, the cold air carrying the bite of busy morning traffic around Memorial Circle. He has made that stop many times over the years. For him and for many Veterans, the approach matters as much as the destination. From that vantage point, the long, unobstructed sightline stretches across the Potomac toward the Lincoln Memorial, a deliberate corridor of space and stone designed to feel solemn and uninterrupted.

That stillness, Lemmon says, is not accidental. It is part of how the nation remembers; it is part of the memorial experience at Arlington National Cemetery.

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“In my view,” he said, “integrity matters—integrity of the process and integrity of the result.”

The proposed 250-foot “Independence Arch,” planned for Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery, is at the heart of the plaintiffs’ concerns. Lemmon and others argue it would fundamentally change the experience of one of the country’s most sacred and symbolically formative landscapes.

Why Veterans Say the Proposed Arch Would Change the Arlington Experience

The lawsuit, filed Feb. 19, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Washington, names President Donald Trump, Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley, and the Executive Office of the President as defendants. The plaintiffs include three Vietnam-era Veterans—Lemmon, Shaun Byrnes, and Jon Gundersen —and architectural historian Calder Loth.

They are asking the court to halt steps toward constructing the proposed arch, which the complaint describes as approximately 250 feet tall and planned for Memorial Circle on Columbia Island.

According to the filing, the plaintiffs believe the structure would intrude on the historic visual axis connecting the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington National Cemetery, a meaningful alignment intentionally created to reinforce national remembrance, as described in the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court. The plaintiffs also argue that the arch could "pose a hazard to air travel at nearby Reagan National Airport.”

These claims represent allegations contained within the lawsuit and have not yet been adjudicated.

How the Project Became Linked to America’s 250th Anniversary

The public learned of the proposed Independence Arch when plans surfaced earlier this year in official White House materials tied to the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations.

A Jan. 30, 2026, White House fact sheet stated that the president had announced plans for an arch in Washington as part of the wider “Freedom 250” commemorations marking the country’s semiquincentennial, according to the White House.

The filing cites those official references as evidence that the project is being actively pursued rather than remaining conceptual.

Why Memorial Circle Holds Unique Meaning For Veterans

Memorial Circle is located within Lady Bird Johnson Park, part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, managed by the National Park Service. The site is more than a traffic junction.

National Park Service (NPS) documentation describes it as a key point where the Arlington Memorial Bridge axis intersects surrounding roadways, forming a deliberate visual corridor between major national memorials.

For many Veterans, that corridor carries emotional importance. Plaintiff Shaun Byrnes, a Navy Vietnam Veteran, said he fears the proposed arch would dwarf the values Arlington represents. “I fear this massive expression of power,” Byrnes said, “will overshadow the values… duty, honor, sacrifice.”

The Legal Process at the Center of the Dispute

At the heart of the lawsuit is a question about federal approval procedures for commemorative works.

Under the Commemorative Works Act, proposed monuments on federal land in the nation's capital require congressional authorization and a structured review of the site and design by federal planning bodies, according to guidance from the National Capital Planning Commission.

The plaintiffs argue that the proposed arch has not completed those required steps. Federal officials have not publicly responded to the specific legal claims in these court filings.

What the Lawsuit Reveals About Memory and National Space

Washington has long balanced two competing priorities: adding new memorials while preserving the spatial relationships that give existing ones meaning.

For plaintiff Jon Gundersen, an Army Vietnam Veteran, that balance is profoundly personal. He said the Arlington approach, a visual journey from the Lincoln Memorial across the bridge, should not be marred by the proposed structure, as stated in the plaintiffs’ filing.

For him and the other plaintiffs, the lawsuit is not about opposing commemoration itself. It is about protecting a landscape they believe holds profound national significance.

Why the Outcome Could Shape Future Memorial Decisions

The court’s decision will ultimately hinge on statutory authority and procedural rules. But the greater implications go beyond one project.

Planning authorities have long emphasized that commemorative works represent both symbolic statements and permanent changes to finite public space, a principle outlined in National Capital Planning Commission documentation.

Each addition changes how future generations experience the capital.

The View That Lies at the Center of the Case

Standing near Memorial Circle, the view toward the Lincoln Memorial is clear and uninterrupted. Traffic moves steadily. Visitors pause before crossing the bridge toward Arlington.

For Lemmon, that quiet approach is not simply architectural design. It is part of how the nation honors those buried there. He says the lawsuit is not about a structure in the skyline. It is about protecting the integrity of a landscape where memory endures most powerfully and ensuring that what is left untouched continues to honor the nation's sacrifice for generations to come.

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