A federal judge has blocked the construction of Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot "Triumphal Arch" in Washington, D.C., just hours after his administration indicated that work could commence immediately. The temporary restraining order, granted by Judge Tanya Chutkan, halts any construction-related activity on the monument.
The colossal structure, planned for a site near Arlington National Cemetery, would stand approximately 25 stories tall. The final cost of the project has not been definitively established, though estimates have reached as high as $100 million.
Chutkan had previously ordered the administration to provide advance notice before construction began, allowing for judicial intervention. The latest order casts further uncertainty on the project's timeline, which was anticipated to span three years.
This legal setback is compounded by opposition from Democrats, who are set to assume control of the House and Senate in January. Several Democratic representatives have vowed to end the project. Representative Jared Huffman criticized the arch as an "illegal project" and a "monstrosity" that disrespects veterans and the historical aesthetic of the area.
Hours before the judge's ruling, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the federal agency overseeing major construction in Washington, voted 8-4 in favor of the arch. The decision followed nearly nine hours of public testimony, during which administration officials suggested construction could begin within 24 hours.
The vote highlighted a division between Trump administration allies and local officials and residents who opposed the monument. Opponents, including members of Congress, veterans, architects, and residents from Washington, D.C., and Virginia, have voiced strong objections, with some characterizing the arch as an ego-driven tribute.
In her ruling, Judge Chutkan acknowledged the government's stated interest in national security but found the newly claimed military functions—such as housing drones and ammunition, and providing positions for snipers—to be unsupported and notably absent from the original planning documents. "These recent and unsupported attestations of security aspects of a structure that has been extensively discussed over the last year appear nowhere in the planning documents on which the project was reviewed and approved," she wrote.
The restraining order was issued at the request of Virginia and the District of Columbia, which filed a lawsuit against the arch's construction on October 31. This case has been consolidated with an earlier lawsuit brought by Vietnam veterans and an architectural historian who are also opposing the monument.
Trump had recently announced that the arch would also function as a military facility. However, the judge expressed skepticism regarding this last-minute reclassification, noting it was not part of the initial planning.