Trump: Veterans waited “200 years” to build the Arc de Triomphe he proposed

- US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that veterans have been waiting for 200 years for the implementation of his proposal to create an “Arc de Triomphe.” This project is currently facing legal obstacles. In a speech he delivered on the occasion of Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery, Trump said: “Soon, we will dedicate a majestic Arc of Triumph to our veterans, in honor of these great warriors and our valiant armed forces,” and added: “They have been waiting for this for 200 years.”

On Tuesday, nine members of the family of the late President John Kennedy filed a lawsuit to stop the construction of the arch, which is about 76 meters high, on the grounds that it blocks the view towards the family graves in Arlington National Cemetery, in addition to blocking “memorials to hundreds of thousands of American heroes who fell in battle.” The Kennedy family joins another lawsuit filed last month by Washington, D.C., and the state of Virginia. Opponents of the project - who are seeking to stop it - have also been joined by a number of veterans, activists in the field of heritage preservation, in addition to Arlington County.

Opponents of the project argue that its sheer size and location would disrupt the visual extension of a series of national monuments — such as the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington House, and the Robert E. Lee Memorial — and would disrupt the solemnity of funeral services held at Arlington National Cemetery. This arch - which the White House continues to promote despite objections - is the latest construction project proposed by Trump that faces legal obstacles in its path.