Donald Trump has spent the last year announcing his plans to build the largest triumphal arch in the world in the heart of our nation’s capital to honor the 250 years of American independence. The proposed site for this arch sits on the banks of the Potomac River, at the end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. For reference, the Lincoln Memorial stands 99 feet tall. Trump’s proposed arch, at 250 feet tall, would fundamentally change the landscape Americans encounter when they visit the nation’s fallen.
Now, despite no funding approvals from Congress, the administration has stated that construction will soon begin.
This is wrong. We’re doing something about it.
In collaboration with VoteVets, Home of the Brave produced a video to oppose the administration’s plans to construct the arch. The video features testimonials from Paul Eaton, a former Major General in the United States Army, and Karen Meredith, the Gold Star mother of Ken Ballard, who was killed in the Iraq War. Paul said that the arch “borders on sacrilege” to the brave men and women buried at Arlington. Karen added: “If Trump thinks that we’ll be quiet about this proposed arch, he’s wrong. We need everybody to speak out about this.”
Honoring our troops and preserving the memorials dedicated to their sacrifice should be important to all Americans. The space between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery is spoken for: it belongs to our veterans and their families.
Veterans are fighting the construction of the arch in federal court right now, and final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission is still pending. We’re speaking up, and people are listening.
That means you can make your voice heard too.
Contact your representatives, submit a public statement before the National Capital Planning Commission vote, and share this video.
Home of the Brave exists to show Americans the real-world consequences of this administration’s policies, and to highlight what bravery looks like in defense of American democracy.
