A federal judge temporarily blocked construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed “Triumphal Arch” in Washington, issuing a 14-day pause just hours after a planning commission approved the project.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan granted a temporary restraining order sought by the District of Columbia and Virginia. The order bars the administration from initiating construction, excavation, or related site work while the court considers the dispute.
Earlier Thursday, the National Capital Planning Commission voted 8-4 to approve final site and building plans for a roughly 250-foot arch at Memorial Circle, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The four opposing votes came from commissioners not appointed by Trump.
The approval followed nearly nine and a half hours of public comment. Supporters said the monument would honor veterans and fulfill a long-discussed vision for a monumental gateway on Columbia Island. Opponents argued it would obstruct solemn sightlines into Arlington and turn a memorial landscape into a presidential vanity project.
Design concepts released by the administration show a massive arch topped with a golden winged Lady Liberty figure and eagles, with inscriptions such as “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All.” A White House video rendering also displayed the phrase “Golden Age of America.” Officials have said the structure could double as a military equipment complex with room for security operations.
“There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World,” Trump previously wrote on Truth Social, arguing Washington is the only major capital without a triumphal arch.
Veterans were among the most vocal critics. Anne Wright, who served 29 years in the military and later in the diplomatic service, told reporters she and other opponents would try to physically impede construction if crews arrived. Fellow veteran John Pomeroy, whose parents are buried at Arlington, said the arch would “lessen the solemn nature of a visit to the cemetery.”
Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman told the commission the arch would fracture a view meant to underscore national sacrifice and compared the design tradition to monuments built by emperors for themselves. He and other lawmakers also argued Congress never authorized the project.
Chutkan wrote that local governments had shown a likelihood of standing and immediate harm, noting the administration had said work could begin almost immediately after approval. The White House called the court an “activist district court” and said it expects to be “fully vindicated” as litigation continues.
The arch fight is one of several Trump building projects facing legal resistance in the capital, including the White House ballroom and a golf-course renovation. With Democrats now heading toward congressional majorities, opponents believe political pressure against the arch will intensify even after the 14-day order expires.
