US federal judge halts construction of monument proposed by Donald Trump

A federal judge in the United States, Tanya Chutkan, has issued a two-week stay on the construction of a giant triumphal arch proposed by President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. The order came late Thursday night, shortly after the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approved the controversial project in a vote of 8 to 4.

The proposed structure, which features golden decorations, would stand over 76 meters (250 feet) tall, making it significantly larger than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Opponents of the plan, including numerous veterans and citizens who testified during an eight-hour public hearing, argued that the arch would obstruct the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The project has faced widespread public backlash due to its location and scale.

The two-week judicial freeze serves to allow the court sufficient time to review legal challenges questioning the project's legitimacy. During this period, no construction activities are permitted. The federal court's decision arrived just one hour after the commission's approval, effectively halting the government's plans for immediate implementation while litigation proceeds.