US judge temporarily blocks construction of Trump's 250-foot triumphal arch
A federal judge temporarily blocked construction of President Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot (76-meter) triumphal arch near Washington, D.C., on November 5, just minutes after a federal planning commission approved the project.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order preventing construction or site preparation at Memorial Circle, near Arlington National Cemetery, The Washington Times reported.
Chutkan found that the Trump administration had likely violated the Commemorative Works Act by bypassing required procedural steps in its rush to approve the monument.
The order does not permanently cancel the project. It prevents work from beginning while the legal challenge proceeds.
Virginia and the District of Columbia filed the lawsuit challenging the arch, while a separate case has been brought by a group of veterans.
The proposed monument would stand near Arlington Memorial Bridge, which connects the Lincoln Memorial in Washington with Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River.
The National Capital Planning Commission approved the project on November 5. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended its location and size, arguing that the arch would preserve views through its central opening and honor the role of the U.S. military in protecting American freedoms.
The administration also argued that the structure would serve a national security purpose, but Chutkan said the government had not substantiated that claim.
The arch is among several construction projects Trump has pursued in Washington, alongside a White House ballroom and plans to redesign a golf course at East Potomac Park. Those projects have also faced legal challenges.