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President Donald Trump’s proposed “triumphal arch” in Washington, D.C., was temporarily blocked from beginning construction shortly after it received final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued an order shortly before midnight Thursday barring the government from undertaking construction-related activity for 14 days. The decision came less than two hours after the federal planning commission approved the project in an 8-4 vote.
The temporary order prevents the administration from immediately starting work while legal challenges brought by the governments of Washington, D.C., and Virginia, along with a group of Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian, move forward.
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Court documents seen by Newsweek on Thursday indicate a construction company, Grunley Construction Company, has applied to begin work on the 250-foot structure in the middle of D.C.’s Memorial Circle.
The project, which Trump has long coveted as part of his efforts to remake the U.S. capital in his image, “could commence as early as November 5, 2026” if approved, according to a court filing from October. The judge’s order means that work cannot now begin immediately.
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A federal panel convened on Thursday with approval as the only item on the agenda; the meeting was online-only with 131 concerned citizens signed up to speak, NPR reported.
Despite being mired in legal challenges since its announcement, approval was almost certainly expected. The planning commission previously green-lit the preliminary site and building plans over the summer, after the Trump-appointed Commission for Fine Arts approved them in May.
On Wednesday, Grunley Construction applied for a special-use permit from the National Park Service (NPS) to begin mobilization on Memorial Circle.
Newsweek has contacted the NPS and Grunley Construction Company via email for additional comment.
Why the Judge Blocked Construction
Chutkan granted a request from the governments of Washington, D.C., and Virginia to prevent construction from beginning while the court considers their claims.
In a 33-page opinion, the judge found that the local governments had demonstrated a likelihood of immediate harm from the project, including traffic disruption and related economic costs.
“The threatened harms will materialize as soon as construction begins, in part because the traffic disruptions will occur immediately,” Chutkan wrote.
The court also questioned the administration’s evolving explanations for the project, including its more recent argument that the arch would serve a national security function.
A previous legal challenge to the arch called the project "flagrantly unlawful,” and argued its construction would “inflict irreparable harm” on the area, with plaintiffs claiming it defies at least five federal statutes.
“Seemingly recognizing that the Arch cannot plausibly be defended on its merits, Defendants have deployed an ever-growing series of strategies to outrun or short-circuit judicial review,” the defense wrote.
“They have introduced eleventh-hour declarations advancing deeply implausible national security justifications for the Arch… [and] have announced they intend to begin construction ‘immediately’ after the Arch is formally approved.”
The application also includes a clause stating that contractors are not required to inform the Court that construction has begun until 24 hours after it starts.
The arch, which would stand twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial, has been heavily criticized for obstructing views in the capital, disrupting traffic in DC’s busy metropolitan area, and insulting service members buried at the nearby Arlington Cemetery.
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In a lawsuit filed by the state of Virginia and the District of Columbia against the NPS, lawyers called the project “legally indefensible” and pointed out it had not yet been approved by Congress.
Construction of the arch “is flagrantly illegal and will cause serious, immediate, and irreparable harm to the District and its residents,” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb previously told Newsweek.
“We’re filing this lawsuit now to protect DC’s unique interests and critical role in preserving the safeguards that keep our nation’s capital beautiful and safe,” he added.
A separate lawsuit brought by three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian also argues that congressional approval is required before the government can construct a commemorative work at Memorial Circle. That case was filed in February and was later consolidated with the challenge brought by D.C. and Virginia.
Trump’s Case for the Arch
The government, meanwhile, claims Congress approved the arch over 100 years ago when it also authorized construction of a bridge over the Potomac River.
Speaking about the project on Monday, Trump touted the arch’s ability to serve as a key military asset.
"It's right smack in the middle of everything, so very important for our military. But from a beautification standpoint, it'll be the most beautiful arch in the world," he said.
Architecturally, the arch is designed to resemble the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but stand 80ft taller. Among its features are floodlights that would make it visible to pilots, and an eternal flame held by a 60-foot-tall golden angel flanked by golden eagles.
The arch would be almost as big as the U.S. Capitol, and would be visible across most of the city. It would also be located near Ronald Reagan International Airport, which complainants have claimed would threaten local wildlife and complicate flight paths for pilots entering the city.
"These harms cannot be remedied if construction of the Arch proceeds," the legal complaint reads, adding that "the unlawful construction of a project of this scale will be difficult to undo."
The Trump administration has claimed the project will take about two to three years to complete, with crews working 20 hours a day. In a court filing submitted last week, the administration said the first six months of the project will involve underground excavation and foundational work, which they argue would not require judicial intervention as it would not disrupt the view.
What Happens Next
The administration is now prohibited from carrying out construction-related activity for 14 days. The order is temporary and does not, by itself, provide a final ruling on whether the arch is lawful or whether it can ultimately be built.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood, Gray R. Thomas, Anna Commander, Emma Lee-Sang
Update 11/6/26, 4:10 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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