A federal judge has ordered a 14-day pause on construction of President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, according to the Associated Press, as published by Al Jazeera on Nov. 6. The order came a day after a federal planning commission approved the project.
Key Highlights
- U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered a 14-day halt, a temporary block rather than a final ruling.
- The National Capital Planning Commission approved the arch 8-4 after a nearly nine-hour hearing, CBS News reported.
- Vietnam War veterans, Virginia and the District of Columbia are suing to stop the project.
- Cost, funding and the construction start date remain unclear, according to CBS News.
What the Judge Ordered
The AP reported that Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order after the administration said construction could begin as soon as Thursday. The 14-day order pauses work while the legal challenges proceed; it is not a final ruling on the project’s legality.
Earlier in the case, Chutkan told the government to notify her within one hour of any commission vote and 30 minutes before any construction preparation began, CBS News reported. At an earlier hearing, she asked, “What is the rush to put this arch up?” according to The Washington Post, republished by The Daily Record.
The Planning Commission Vote
CBS News reported that the commission received more than 1,300 public comments, most of them opposed. Mark Paoletta, the commission’s executive director and the top lawyer at the Office of Management and Budget, recommended approval. He called it the “grandest arch ever built by mankind,” CBS reported.
The AP said dozens of witnesses spoke against the project at the hearing.
Where the Arch Would Stand
According to CBS News, the arch would sit in the center of Memorial Circle, across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial and near Arlington National Cemetery. The structure would be 166 feet tall, topped by three gilded figures, for an overall height of 250 feet. It would include an observation deck, and construction would take about three years.
Trump first proposed the arch last year to mark 250 years of American independence and has compared it to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the AP reported.
Who Is Suing, and Why
A group of Vietnam War veterans sued in February. They argue the arch could block the line of sight between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial, a view they say was “carefully designed to symbolise the unification of the country after the Civil War,” the AP reported.
The District of Columbia and Virginia sued in late October. They argue the arch would violate the Height Act, which caps D.C. buildings at 130 feet, that Congress has not authorized it, and that the National Park Service failed to consult as required, according to The Washington Post.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said construction would cause “serious, immediate and irreparable harm to the District and its residents.” Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones called it “Trump’s illegal vanity project.” These are the plaintiffs’ allegations, and the court has not ruled on them.
Open Questions
Chutkan said the key issue for her is whether the veterans have standing to sue, CBS reported. Justice Department lawyers urged her to follow the Supreme Court’s recent White House ballroom decision, which found similar plaintiffs likely lacked standing. The plaintiffs say their arguments differ.
CBS also noted that Trump said in September the arch would be a “top grade Military Complex” housing drones and sniper ammunition. The commission’s documents include no military use, and Justice Department lawyers declined to give details at an October hearing.
What to Watch Next
The pause is temporary. The court could extend it, lift it or rule on the merits. The AP noted that Democrats won control of Congress in the midterms and that judges have blocked several of Trump’s Washington building plans. For wider political context, see our midterm elections coverage.
Watch: News Coverage of the Ruling
Video: “Judge halts Trump arch construction” (YouTube).