DC and Virginia sue to block Trump's triumphal arch

The lawsuit, filed Saturday, calls the project "flagrantly unlawful" and asks a federal court to bar construction before it starts. It is the third lawsuit against the arch.

Planned height of the arch

76 m

The arch would stand 76 metres tall at Memorial Circle, 30 metres taller than the Statue of Liberty.

The attorneys general of DC and Virginia warn that three years of construction would slow commuter traffic and emergency vehicles and cause pollution, including runoff into the Potomac. They want the court to require congressional authorisation first.

Memorial Circle, Washington

White House officials say ground could be broken around Nov 5. Judge Tanya Chutkan, who hears an earlier lawsuit, said she will rule quickly on freezing construction plans.