Construction on Donald Trump‘s 25-foot triumphal arch has been blocked again after a judge issued a temporary restraining order. The move follows the National Capital Planning Commission’s (NCPC) approval to proceed with the project. Trump first introduced the plan to make the arch in October 2025.
Judge Tanya Chutkan temporarily halts construction of Trump’s 250-foot arch
According to a report by The Hill, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order halting construction of Donald Trump’s 250-foot triumphal arch for 14 days.
The order follows Trump’s administration’s prior approval to continue construction. In a motion passed Thursday, the National Capital Planning Commission approved the arch’s final plans by an 8-4 vote. Thus, allowing the Trump administration to construct the arch between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
The outlet shared Judge Chutkan’s statement from a memorandum opinion, in which she mentioned the harms the project could cause. She said Virginia and DC have shared that the “construction of the Arch will cause harm by clogging traffic, impeding disaster preparedness, and harming the environment, which will also require both jurisdictions to expend resources to monitor and mitigate those impacts.”
Virginia and DC have previously filed a lawsuit to block the construction of Trump’s 250-foot triumphal arch.
Chutkan also added that if development on this project begins, Virginia will have to spend funds to protect itself from the harms caused by the arch. So she suggested the state can avoid these costs if construction does not move forward.
Following Chutkan’s order, the White House criticized the judge’s call, while praising NCPC for its decision.
Meanwhile, Virginia’s 8th district’s Don Beyer asserted in a statement that he will “do everything in my power alongside my colleagues in the Democratic majorities just elected to the next Congress to ensure that this wasteful, disrespectful monstrosity goes nowhere.”
