Judge Halts Work on Trump's 250-Foot Arch Hours After Final Approval
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked construction of President Donald Trump's planned triumphal arch, hours after a federal panel gave the project its final approval.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a restraining order, a court instruction to stop an action while a case is heard. It lasts 14 days. ArtNews reported that the order bans all activity tied to the arch, including excavation, utility installation and road closures around Memorial Circle, near Arlington National Cemetery. The Trump administration has until Monday, November 9, to guarantee it will comply.
The arch would stand 250 feet tall, a ceremonial gateway of the kind built to honour a victory or a leader. The approval came on Thursday from the National Capital Planning Commission, a federal body that reviews major projects in the capital. The panel voted 8-4 to allow construction, according to the BBC. It reached that vote after a nine-hour virtual hearing, where more than 100 people testified.
Judge Chutkan will now hear legal challenges to the project. One comes from the governments of Washington, D.C. and Virginia. Another comes from Vietnam War veterans. The lawsuits argue that the administration bypassed congressional approval the project needs. They also say planning skipped environmental and historical reviews, as The New York Times reported.
A Vietnam War veteran who leads one of the lawsuits called the arch "frankly blasphemous" ahead of the final vote, ABC7 reported.
The administration has said construction would take two to three years, with crews working nearly around the clock. For now, none of that work can start while the court considers the case. Whether it does will depend on what the judge decides before the 14 days run out.
For the people who would do the physical work, the order means crews, equipment and contracts sit idle at least for now. For residents and visitors near Arlington, it means the road closures planned for Memorial Circle are on hold too. Both sides will now argue their case in court rather than at the planning commission's hearing.
