D.C. and Virginia Sue to Block Trump's Triumphal Arch

D.C. and Virginia sued Saturday to block President Donald Trump's planned triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery. Trump says the arch will mark the nation's 250th birthday.

• 250 feet: the arch's planned height, nearly double D.C.'s 130-foot cap.
• Nov. 5 is the earliest construction could begin, officials say.
• The suit says Congress never authorized the arch.
• Two to three years of construction would reroute a busy artery.

Why it matters: The administration has defended Trump's projects by arguing challengers lack standing because they cannot show direct harm. That argument won a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling this summer on the White House ballroom.

• The jurisdictions cite harm to traffic, emergency preparedness, security and the environment.
• The administration has acknowledged the arch will harm views from local historic sites.

How 30 sources split on this story

Where they split: Coverage agrees on the facts; it differs on whether to lead with the lawsuit's legal theory or the officials' sharpest criticism.

What’s next: The National Capital Planning Commission is set to vote on the arch Nov. 5.

• Separately, U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan signaled Friday she might block the arch in a suit by three veterans and a preservationist.
• "What is the rush to put this arch up?" Chutkan asked at Friday's hearing.
• Will courts accept that state and local governments have standing where individual challengers did not?
• Will a judge rule before construction begins on Nov. 5?