Veterans gather to protest triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery

Veterans, their families and supporters gathered Thursday morning at Memorial Circle to protest the construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch. Related stories Trump admin to end key part of arch review, effectively evading preservation law Trump says proposed triumphal arch will double as military complex This DC project would ‘extend’ the Lincoln Memorial out to the Potomac River Since the president first proposed the 250-foot-tall arch near the entrance of Arlington National Cemetery, many veterans have opposed it, with those present at Thursday’s protest saying it would violate the solemnity of what they see as hallowed ground. John Gunderson, a Vietnam vet and one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, told WTOP the arch is “sort of obscene.” “Hundreds of thousands of people who served this country honorably, gave the ultimate sacrifice, are there.

You have the tomb of the unknown soldier. You have 20 to 30 funerals every day. So it’s a sacred place and it shouldn’t be obstructed,” Gunderson said.

Don Beyer took it a step further; besides being inappropriate for the location, he said the arch is an attempt by Trump to honor himself. Beyer told WTOP it’s unprecedented for Trump to build an arch to himself, since he’s still alive and in office. “In America, we have had great presidents and mediocre presidents, but we’ve never had a president so defined by vanity, narcissism and delusional grandiosity,” Beyer said.

Beyer said he’s optimistic and believes the arch can be stopped by legislation that lawmakers are now considering. “We believe the courts will stop it in the short run because it’s very clear that he can’t build this without congressional approval ahead of time,” he said. “That’s in the law already.” Steve Karesh A mock arch installation with people gathering at the arch protest on Thursday, Oct.

(WTOP/Steve Karesh) Show more Steve Karesh A sign that says, "Our fallen heroes do not deserve this" at the arch protest on Thursday, Oct. (WTOP/Steve Karesh) Show more Steve Karesh Veterans, their families and supporters gathered at Memorial Circle to protest the construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch on Thursday, Oct. (WTOP/Steve Karesh) Show more Steve Karesh A "Stop Arch Insanity" sign at a protest outside A…

The group gathered Thursday to protest the so-called Triumphal Arch.