A United States federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s proposed monumental arch near Arlington National Cemetery, ordering a 14-day halt to construction as legal challenges against the project proceed.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued the temporary restraining order on Friday, following a lawsuit by the District of Columbia and Virginia seeking to stop the project.
The ruling came shortly after the National Capital Planning Commission approved the proposed 250-foot structure in an 8-4 vote.
The judge said the two jurisdictions had shown that construction could cause immediate harm, including traffic disruption, complications for emergency response and costs that local authorities might not be able to recover.
Chutkan also questioned the administration’s reliance on a 1925 law to justify the project, saying the claim that the century-old statute authorised a structure of such scale at the proposed site was implausible.
The arch is planned for a highway roundabout near Arlington National Cemetery and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The proposed monument would be taller than Paris’ Arc de Triomphe.
The Trump administration has described the project as a tribute to veterans and a symbol of American identity. Critics, however, argue that it could undermine the solemnity of the nearby cemetery, worsen traffic and pose safety concerns.
Virginia and Washington, DC, have also argued that the project lacks the necessary congressional authorisation.
The judge ordered the federal government to submit a compliance report on Monday as the legal proceedings continue.
The temporary order does not amount to a final ruling on the legality of the proposed arch.
You must be logged in to post a comment.