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NewsPolitical News · 6 Nov

Donald Trump’s Arch Enemy

Congressman Don Beyer says he is willing to risk arrest to stop Trump's 250-foot arch near Arlington as planners approve it and lawsuits continue.

Staff Reporter

US Congressman Don Beyer says he is willing to risk arrest to oppose Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, in a confrontation that has become more urgent after a federal planning commission approved the project.

The Virginia Democrat told TMZ that he had a tent and sleeping bag ready for a protest at the site. His comments came on Thursday 5 November 2026, the same day the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) voted 8–4 to approve the final plans. That approval is significant, but it does not resolve the legal challenges seeking to stop construction.

Image note: The featured composite is an AI-generated editorial illustration. It is not an official rendering of the proposed arch or a photograph of an actual monument.

Why Don Beyer is prepared to be arrested

Beyer, who represents Virginia’s 8th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives, has become one of the most prominent opponents of the monument. Speaking to TMZ, he said he was willing to be arrested in an effort to block work, although he did not say he wanted that outcome.

The proposed sit-in is not simply a symbolic dispute between a Democratic congressman and a Republican president. Beyer has introduced legislation to prevent construction and has repeatedly appeared at the proposed site, questioned federal officials and argued that the monument would damage an area of national remembrance.

No arrest of Beyer has been confirmed, and a stated willingness to protest should not be confused with an event that has already happened.

Why Arlington National Cemetery is central to the dispute

The arch is planned for Memorial Circle on Columbia Island, at the western end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, close to Arlington National Cemetery and opposite the Lincoln Memorial. Beyer’s parents, grandparents and sister are buried at Arlington. He says the project would intrude on the cemetery’s solemn setting and the historic sightlines connecting landmarks on either side of the Potomac River.

In testimony to the NCPC on 5 November, Beyer said he was speaking both for constituents and as a relative of people buried at the cemetery. His office also pointed to a National Park Service assessment identifying adverse effects on a number of historic sites, including Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington Memorial Bridge and the Lincoln Memorial.

The 8–4 vote: what has actually been approved?

The NCPC voted 8–4 on 5 November to approve final site and building plans for the 250-foot (76-metre) structure. The commission’s official project record describes an arch intended to commemorate American achievements, inspire patriotism and mark the country’s 250th anniversary. Its design is inspired by traditional triumphal arches, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

The submitted plans envisage a monumental arch topped with a statue of Lady Liberty. According to reporting by the Associated Press, the interior would contain an observation deck, offices, circulation space and other facilities. The proposal also involves changes to local traffic movements.

The planning decision is one important approval, not a court ruling that the project is lawful. Shortly after the vote, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a 14-day temporary restraining order preventing construction or related work while the legal challenges proceed. The order is temporary and does not settle the underlying case.

What the Trump administration says

Trump and his supporters argue that Washington should have a grand triumphal arch like other major capitals and that the monument would celebrate the United States and honour its history. NCPC chairman Mark Paoletta defended the scheme during the hearing, pointing to what he described as a century-old congressional vision for a monument at the site.

The administration contends that earlier congressional authorisation is sufficient for the project. Opponents dispute that interpretation, arguing that a new monument of this size needs specific congressional approval and must comply with historic-preservation law. Those are contested legal positions rather than settled findings.

Trump has also suggested the site might be used for national-security purposes, including drones and snipers. Beyer challenged those suggestions, saying that any such use raises new questions about safety, particularly near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The commission’s public review materials do not establish that those military functions are part of the approved design.

The court fight and possible construction timetable

The District of Columbia, Virginia and other challengers have gone to court to stop the project. After the NCPC approved the plans on 5 November, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan imposed a 14-day temporary restraining order preventing construction or related work. The judge questioned the administration’s reliance on a 1925 law as authority for the project. The order preserves the position while the court considers the lawsuits; it is not a final judgment on whether the arch may legally be built. Associated Press reported the order, as did Reuters.

Reuters reported that the administration expects excavation and foundation work to take six to eight months, with above-ground construction no earlier than May 2027. The entire project is estimated to require 33 to 39 months, meaning completion would fall after Trump’s current presidential term. A final publicly confirmed overall price has not been established.

For now, the central question is whether the administration can lawfully move from approved drawings to construction before the courts decide. Beyer’s threatened sit-in adds a political and personal dimension to a fight that is already playing out in Congress and federal court.

Watch: Don Beyer speaks to TMZ

Video: TMZ interview with Congressman Don Beyer, 5 November 2026.

Sources and further reading