US Judge Blocks Trump's 250-Foot Memorial Arch for 2 Weeks After Key Approval

3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Nov 6

A federal judge halted the Trump administration from breaking ground on a 250-foot memorial arch for two weeks, dealing an early setback to one of the most visible projects in his plan to reshape Washington.
Judge Tanya Chutkan said the administration was stretching a 100-year-old statute too far, arguing the law contemplated two Civil War-themed columns rather than a giant arch.
The restraining order landed shortly after a public commission gave the project a key green light, despite broader opposition that has cast the arch as unauthorized and disruptive.
The fight now centers on whether Congress ever granted authority for such a monument at the site, a question likely to shape whether the temporary pause becomes a longer block.