Tom Burke, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America, stated that he received inaccurate information before his group joined a legal brief supporting President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., as a federal judge prepares to hear arguments on stopping construction.
Tom Burke Says He Was Misled on Legal Brief Supporting Arch
The controversy surrounding the proposed 250-foot monument escalated sharply when Tom Burke, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America, disclosed in an email to members that he received inaccurate details prior to signing onto a court filing in favor of the structure. The brief, submitted to a federal court, had urged U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to permit construction and argued that the three Vietnam War veterans suing to block the project lacked legal standing to represent the broader veteran community. Burke told members that the filing went further than he had anticipated or intended.
Let me be clear: National VVA has not adopted a position supporting or opposing construction of the proposed arch or its design.
Tom Burke, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America
He added that the situation places the organization in a sensitive spot while maintaining a commitment to neutrality, according to reporting by Raw Story. White House officials reportedly encouraged veterans groups to back the brief, though Burke did not specify who provided the incorrect information.
Veteran Chapters and Associations Disagree Internally
Jay Kalner, president of the organization’s Northern Virginia chapter, stated that local leaders and members were never consulted before the national office joined the legal brief, and noted that many local members strongly oppose the monument.
Similar frustration arose within other military organizations.
Preservationists, conservation groups, and veteran advocates are rallying against the initiative. Advocacy organizations including the National Parks Conservation Association and the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs, arguing that the administration is advancing the project without proper congressional authorization and is disrupting the National Mall.
Shadows Fall Across Arlington National Cemetery Gravesites
Computer modeling conducted for The Washington Post revealed that the arch’s shadow would touch burial sites at the cemetery on 284 days over the course of a year. Planned for Memorial Circle at the western end of Arlington Memorial Bridge near the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, the 250-foot structure would tower over surrounding monuments.
The analysis showed the shadow would pass over more than 75,000 graves, including memorials for veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The shadow would also sweep across John F. Kennedy’s memorial for up to nine minutes on 18 days annually, and darken the Military Women’s Memorial on 109 days.
We don’t need tourists overlooking funerals. I’m just appalled.
Karen Meredith
In contrast, the Interior Department’s simulations suggest that shadows would affect only a small portion of the cemetery during opening hours for less than two weeks each year. A White House spokesperson defended the project, stating that it will serve as an iconic landmark that enhances the visitor experience.
Administration Re-frames Arch as a National Defense Installation
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin argued in sworn court filings submitted on Wednesday that the arch is necessary to defend the capital against drone threats and other security risks.
Hegseth described the project in a court declaration as a generational national defense opportunity,
asserting that its height would accommodate sensors, communications gear, and counter-drone systems. Mullin added that the monument would provide an elevated infrastructure node for detection, disruption, and mitigation without requiring changes to the structure’s visual design. Initial design plans submitted to federal review boards made no mention of national security infrastructure, ammunition storage, or sniper mounts. The administration originally promoted the arch to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Judge Considers Injunction to Halt Monument Construction
District Judge Tanya Chutkan scheduled a court hearing to weigh arguments on whether to issue a preliminary injunction that would halt construction. The plaintiffs, consisting of three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian, maintain that the executive branch lacks authority to build the monument without specific authorization from Congress. The administration aims to break ground as early as November 5, which coincides with the date federal planners are expected to consider final approval. Department of Justice officials estimate that completion of the arch would extend to 2030.