Judge blocks Trump’s arch after panel approves construction

POLITICO · Kyle Cheney, Heather Richards · 2026-11-06 03:53 UTC

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan last week signaled that she was skeptical of the administration’s bid to begin construction.

A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from breaking ground on a massive triumphal arch that President Donald Trump has said will be built at the foot of Arlington National Cemetery.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issueda two-week restraining order late Thursday, barring any construction activity related to the arch while litigation is pending.

The arch, which won approval earlier in the day from the National Capital Planning Association — a panel stocked with the president’s allies — has drawn fierce opposition from local officials, preservation organizations and a group of veterans who visit the cemetery to honor their fallen friends. Chutkan concluded that the harms facing Washington and Virginia — from years of traffic disruptions to economic damage caused by the huge construction zone — justified the immediate halt.

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