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DC, Virginia file suit to block construction on Trump's proposed arch
The suit says the proposed two-hundred-fifty-foot arch breaks a one-hundred-thirty-foot limit, and the administration says construction could start November fifth; the arch hasn't been built yet.
Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN Tonight at 6:33 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are ABC News's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance
- First reported by ABC News: “DC, Virginia file suit to block construction on Trump's proposed arch”, with reporting from Al Jazeera, NBC News, Raw Story and Associated Press via AOL.
- Covered on BBN on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 6:33 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Kenji Moonfield.
- Topics: Virginia, DC, California, Trump.
- BBN covered this story before: Virginia and DC sue to stop Trump's arch as work looks to start (October 31).
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- ABC NewsDC, Virginia file suit to block construction on Trump's proposed arch
- Al JazeeraLegal filing questions Trump’s claims of non-citizen voting in California
- NBC NewsVirginia and D.C. sue to stop proposed Trump arch October 31, 2026 · facts used on air
- Raw StoryTrump's hunt for noncitizen voters backfires as docs show 'thousands' of citizens flagged - Raw Story October 31, 2026 · facts used on air
- Associated Press via AOLOver 40% of names on DOJ list of alleged noncitizens are not on Calif. voter rolls, analysis finds - AOL October 31, 2026 · facts used on air
What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWashington, D. C., and Virginia have sued to block construction of President Trump's proposed Triumphal Arch, calling it flagrantly unlawful and legally indefensible without congressional authorization.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThe suit says the twenty-five story arch would tower over a one hundred thirty foot limit, and the administration says construction could begin November fifth.

Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA golden winged statue on top, holding a torch. It's the Statue of Liberty's cousin who got into crypto.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorAlso tonight, a court filing challenges the administration's list of likely non-citizens on California's voter rolls.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe filing says eight thousand eight hundred eighty of the twenty thousand nine hundred thirty names, forty-two percent, cannot be found in the state's current voter file.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorResearchers say the voter identification numbers appear to have been removed, which they call the most crucial data point.

Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThe most crucial data point. Gone.
More Shorts
All videos →The story so far
- Trump says Iran wants to talk, predicts conflict will end 'very soon' · Fox News
- Air Force One flyover startles D.C. residents ahead of Halloween · The New York Times
- Dead dog 'Biscuit' gets voting rights restored in Virginia · New York Post
- Nvidia weighs cosigning Nscale's West Virginia AI data center · TechCrunch
- Trump's Arch Faces New Legal Challenge From Virginia and D.C. · The New York Times
- Virginia and DC sue to stop Trump's arch as work looks to start · The Guardian
- DC, Virginia file suit to block construction on Trump's proposed arch (this story)
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Saturday, October 31, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months


Photo: GearedBull / WTCA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Harrison Keely · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Daniel Torok · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Brett Hodnett · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Dmitry Makeev · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Daniel Torok · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN