Federal judge pauses construction of Trump’s proposed Washington arch

A federal judge has temporarily blocked construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch in Washington, ordering a 14-day pause just hours after a federal commission approved the project. The ruling prevents work from beginning while several lawsuits seeking to stop the structure proceed. US District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued the temporary halt after the National Capital Planning Commission voted 8-4 on Thursday evening to authorise construction.

The Trump administration had hoped to begin work immediately following the approval, according to NPR. The commission’s decision came after almost nine hours of public comment. The planned arch would stand 250ft, or 72m, near Arlington National Cemetery.

Trump supporters on the commission described it as a fitting tribute to US history and American veterans. Mark Paoletta, the commission’s chairman, said grand monuments were important to national identity and called the site a gateway worthy of the cemetery. The White House praised the commission’s decision as approval of Trump’s “historic vision”.

It criticised the court order as the work of an “activist district court”, but said it expected to prevail as the litigation continued. The administration has not been given a clear date for when construction could begin because of the lawsuits and the injunction. Opponents argue that the arch would interrupt views of Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.

Democratic Congressman Jared Huffman said the structure would fracture a vista associated with national unity and sacrifice. Veterans who oppose the project told the BBC that it would diminish the solemn character of visits to Arlington. Anne Wright, a former military officer and diplomat, said opponents would try to physically obstruct construction.

John Pomeroy, a former Air Force serviceman whose parents are buried at Arlington, criticised the administration’s suggestion that the arch could also store military equipment, saying that function could make it a terrorist target. An earlier design includes a gold-coloured winged Lady Liberty on top, flanked by two gold eagles. It also shows the phrases “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” in gold on the sides.

A White House website later depicted the words “Golden Age of America” on the structure and referred to it as the “Military Triumphal Arch”. The administration says the building would include a facility for military equipment and could deploy snipers and drones. Trump has argued that Washington is unusual among major capitals for lacking a triumphal arch, although the BBC report said he did not specify the cities used for that comparison.

The project is described by its backers as fulfilling a century-old plan for a monumental work on Columbia Island. Its opponents see it as a personal and disruptive intervention in the capital’s historic landscape. For now, the judge’s 14-day order means the commission’s approval cannot lead immediately to construction.