Judge Blocks Construction of Trump's 250-Foot Arch Hours After Planning Commission Approval

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan temporarily blocked construction of President Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot triumphal arch late Thursday, hours after the National Capital Planning Commission approved the project by an 8-4 vote.

The restraining order lasts two weeks and bars excavation, utility work, road closures and any other construction activity at Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery. Chutkan, an Obama appointee, found that the District of Columbia and Virginia demonstrated likely harm from traffic disruptions and economic effects. She rejected the administration's claim that a century-old statute already authorized the structure and called the national-security justification belated and unsupported.

The commission, dominated by Trump allies, approved the arch after a nine-hour hearing in which more than 100 speakers, including veterans, opposed it. Opponents include three Vietnam War veterans, a historic preservationist, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb and Virginia officials. They argue the project lacks congressional authorization, violates preservation laws and would cast shadows on graves and memorials at Arlington. Trump has said the arch honours the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and could serve defence purposes.

The administration had indicated work could begin immediately after commission approval. Chutkan's order requires the government to confirm compliance by Monday. The project is expected to take three years if it proceeds. Critics called the structure a vanity project that would tower over the Lincoln Memorial. The ruling is the latest court setback for the administration's plans to alter Washington landmarks.