Court Halts Trump's 'Washington Arc de Triomphe' Project Immediately After Government Approval

The "Washington Arc de Triomphe" construction project pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump has received final approval from the relevant authorities.

However, a court has temporarily halted the construction.

According to U.S. online media outlet Axios, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) gave its final approval for President Trump's arch project on the 5th (local time) following a virtual hearing.

The hearing lasted for over nine hours with more than 100 witnesses participating.

The Associated Press reported that most of the commissioners who voted in favor of the plan were individuals associated with President Trump.

"President Trump is both president and an exceptional construction businessman," said Mark Paoletta, a close confidant of President Trump and chairman of the Capital Planning Commission. "He understands that showcasing who we are through magnificent monuments is important to our national identity."

Subsequently, the National Park Service (NPS) under the U.S. Department of the Interior also approved the construction, clearing the preparation procedures for the groundbreaking of the Washington arch project.

However, the Trump administration's ambitious plan faced an immediate brake from a federal court about an hour later, at dawn on the 6th.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan for the District of Columbia issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting construction on the arch for the next 14 days.

This action follows a request for a preliminary injunction during ongoing litigation filed by Washington, D.C., and the State of Virginia against the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior, among others.

In her ruling, Judge Chutkan pointed out that the arch construction project "will disrupt traffic, generate noise, and cause large-scale excavation work."

Addressing the Trump administration's claim that Congress authorized the construction of a triumphal arch when authorizing a bridge across the Potomac River over 100 years ago, she noted, "It is extremely unlikely that a 100-year-old statute contains the authority to build a triumphal arch that all previous administrations were unaware of." She added, "This shows how far-fetched an interpretation the government must make to justify this project."

The construction of the Washington arch is one of President Trump's key signature projects.

The plan is to build a roughly 76-meter-tall arched monument near the entrance of Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, adjacent to Washington, D.C., to elevate "national prestige."

This has sparked fierce controversy from the planning stage.

Criticism has poured in that the arch could undermine the value of the national cemetery and cause safety issues for nearby airports.

The construction costs are also expected to be substantial.

According to the Associated Press, the project cost is estimated to reach up to $100 million (approx. 140 billion KRW), but the financing method remains uncertain.

Some critics point out that President Trump is intentionally bypassing federal historic preservation reviews and congressional approval procedures.

The possibility of the arch's "military use," emphasized by President Trump, was also omitted from the final construction plan.

Initially, President Trump publicly vowed to station snipers and store drones on top of the arch, but such content was entirely missing from the official plan.

With the Democratic Party securing majorities in both the House and the Senate in the recent U.S. midterm elections, the arch construction project is likely to face intense scrutiny soon.

Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA), who is slated to chair the House Natural Resources Committee, stated at the Capital Planning Commission hearing, "[The Washington arch] will disgrace America's honor," and claimed, "This is not to honor veterans, but a tribute to Donald Trump."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.