Judge puts brakes on Trump’s triumphal arch

WASHINGTON: A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to provide at least 48 hours’ notice before carrying out activities at the site of a proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued the order after the Interior Department announced plans to begin excavation work at the site despite ongoing legal challenges and the absence of final approval from a federal planning authority.

The proposed 250-foot (76-metre) monument is planned near Memorial Circle on Columbia Island, close to Arlington National Cemetery. The administration says initial work will involve excavation to determine whether underground cultural or archaeological material is present.

The government has said the planned work is not construction of the arch. It intends to dig four test pits beginning on or after September 21 and restore the site by October 31.

Judge Chutkan’s latest order requires the administration to notify the court at least 48 hours before undertaking any activity at the location, with an exception for work specifically aimed at identifying archaeological resources as required under federal preservation law.

The judge also reaffirmed an earlier requirement that any construction or demolition connected to construction must not begin before the National Park Service grants final approval. The administration must also provide 14 days’ notice before starting construction under a previous court order.

The proposed monument has become the subject of a legal dispute. A group of military veterans and an architectural historian argue that the project has no legal basis and requires approval from Congress.

The Trump administration maintains that a 1925 law related to the construction of Arlington Memorial Bridge provides the necessary congressional authorisation. Opponents reject that interpretation.

The project has also not received final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which is considering whether to allow an exception to Washington’s 130-foot height restriction. The proposed arch would stand nearly twice that height.

Supporters say the monument would honour US military veterans and commemorate their sacrifices. Its design is inspired by Paris’ Arc de Triomphe.

Critics argue that the structure would damage the historic visual corridor connecting the Lincoln Memorial with Arlington House across the Potomac River.

The arch is part of Trump’s broader plans to reshape Washington’s architectural landscape. His administration has also pursued major projects involving the White House grounds, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and East Potomac Park.