A United States federal judge has temporarily blocked construction of President Donald Trump’s 250-foot (76-metre) “triumphal arch” in Washington DC. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Friday ordered a 14-day pause on any construction on the arch. The move came despite the Trump administration saying last week that work could begin as soon as Thursday.
Planning commission approves arch after lengthy hearing
The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) held a nine-hour hearing on Thursday before voting 8-4 to approve the arch. The vote went ahead despite the protests of dozens of witnesses who opposed the construction.
Veterans’ lawsuits raise concerns over Arlington views
Judge Chutkan’s decision follows several lawsuits challenging the arch, including one filed in February by a group of Vietnam war veterans. Trump has proposed placing the arch by Arlington National Cemetery, where war veterans are buried. The plan raised concerns that it could block the view between the cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
In a court filing, the veterans said the line of sight between the two was “carefully designed to symbolise the unification of the country after the Civil War and the strength of a united nation.”
Trump first proposed the arch last year to mark 250 years of US independence. He claimed it would be similar to other famous arches, such as the Arc de Triomphe built in Paris in 1836.
Trump’s other Washington plans face renewed scrutiny
The so-called “Arc de Trump” is one of many projects the president has proposed in Washington. On Friday, he signed a proclamation designating his Oval Office and Cabinet room as a national monument.
Many of his plans have already been blocked by several judges. After the Democrats won control of Congress in this week’s midterm elections, those plans could face increased scrutiny.
