Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered a 14-day moratorium on the so-called “Ark de Trump” project in Washington, D.C.
Published November 6, 2026
A U.S. federal judge has ordered a temporary injunction against construction of President Donald Trump’s 250-foot (76-meter) “Arc de Triomphe” in Washington, D.C.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Friday ordered a 14-day moratorium on construction of the arch, even though the Trump administration said last week that construction could begin as early as Thursday.
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The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) held a nine-hour public hearing on Thursday, and the final vote approved the arch by an 8-4 vote, despite protests from dozens of witnesses opposing construction.
Judge Chutkan’s decision follows a series of lawsuits challenging the arch’s construction, including a group of Vietnam War veterans who filed suit in February.
President Trump has proposed building an arch near Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans are buried, sparking concerns that it could block views between the cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
The veterans said in a court filing that the line of sight between the two was “carefully designed to symbolize the nation’s unity and national strength in the post-Civil War era.”
President Trump first proposed the arch last year to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, claiming it would be similar to other famous arches such as the Arc de Triomphe, built in Paris in 1836.
The so-called “Ark de Trump” is just one of many projects President Trump has proposed in Washington. On Friday, the president signed a proclamation designating the Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments.
Many of his plans have been blocked by multiple judges in the past, and they could come under even more scrutiny after Democrats gain a majority in Congress in this week’s midterm elections.
