A federal judge has blocked construction of Donald Trump's colossal 250-foot 'Triumphal Arch' in Washington, just hours after his administration declared work may begin 'immediately.'
Judge Tanya Chutkan dealt Trump a major setback Thursday night, granting a temporary restraining order that prevents his administration from starting work on his so-called 'Arc de Trump.'
The colossal structure was set to rise near Arlington National Cemetery, reaching roughly the height of a 25-story building, though its ultimate cost remains unclear.
While some estimates have placed the price tag as high as $100 million, officials have yet to disclose a final figure or explain how the project will be funded.
Just hours before Chutkan's ruling, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the federal agency overseeing major construction and development in Washington, voted 8-4 in favor of the proposed arch.
The contentious decision came after nearly nine hours of heated public testimony, with administration officials insisting construction could get underway within the next 24 hours.
The vote laid bare a growing rift between Trump's allies and local officials, who have mounted fierce opposition to the monument.
Supporters of the arch were largely members of the Trump administration or figures with close ties to the president, while those opposing it represented the city of Washington.
A federal judge blocked construction of Donald Trump's proposed colossal 250-foot 'Triumphal Arch' in Washington on Thursday night (pictured: a mockup of the proposed arch)
The colossal structure was set to rise near Arlington National Cemetery, reaching roughly the height of a 25-story building, though its ultimate cost remains unclear. Some estimates have placed the price tag as high as $100 million
Judge Tanya Chutkan granted a temporary restraining order that prevents the president's administration from starting work on his so-called 'Arc de Trump'
Chutkan intervened just hours after the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the federal agency responsible for overseeing major construction and development in Washington, voted 8-4 in favor of the arch (pictured: a scale replica of proposed arch)
Members of Congress, veterans, architects and residents from DC and Virginia came out swinging against the proposal, with some branding the monstrous structure an extravagant tribute to Trump's ego.
'Trump is a president, not a king,' California Democratic Representative Jared Huffman testified at Thursday afternoon's commission hearing.
But the project was swiftly thrown into limbo after the Obama-appointed judge issued a 14-day order prohibiting the government from carrying out any 'construction-related activity' as the legal fight continues.
Chutkan had previously ordered the administration to notify her before construction began, allowing her to intervene before any work could get underway. The project is expected to take three years to complete.
She had already raised doubts last week about the administration's efforts to fast-track construction while litigation continued, making clear she was unconvinced by its last-minute bid to rebrand the arch as a military complex.
Trump suddenly revealed late last month that the arch would double as a military facility, housing drones and ammunition for rapid deployment in 'large numbers' and providing rooftop and plaza positions for teams of snipers.
'For National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch, planned since the Civil War Era many years ago, at the Receptive Circle adjoining the Arlington Memorial Bridge, into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch,' he wrote on Truth Social at the time.
'There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World. Out of the 59 top cities and Capitals, Washington, DC, Is The Only One In The World That Does Not Have A Triumphal Arch, but it will now and, by far, the greatest of them all! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President Donald J Trump,' he added.
The National Capital Planning Commission's (NCPC) approval just hours before the judge's ruling exposed a deep divide between Trump's allies in Washington and local officials, who have fiercely pushed back against the proposed monument
In her ruling, Judge Chutkan acknowledged the government's 'significant interest in national security,' but said its newly claimed military functions were unsupported and suspiciously missing from the original planning documents.
'These recent and unsupported attestations of security aspects of a structure that has been extensively discussed over the last year appear nowhere in the planning documents on which the project was reviewed and approved,' she wrote.
Chutkan's order aside, it remains unclear when construction could actually begin, with the project expected to take three years to complete.
Trump also faces another looming threat. Democrats, riding high after their historic midterm victories on Tuesday, have also threatened to kill the project when they seize control of the House and Senate in January.
'The Great Gatsby party is over,' warned Rep Huffman just hours before the federal panel convened to vote on Trump's arch idea.
'The arch is an illegal project. It's a monstrosity. It's a slap in the face to veterans and to the history and the aesthetics of this sacred place,' he added. 'It's unthinkable that this would be allowed to proceed.'
The Arc project is far from the first time that Trump has used security concerns as justification for his architectural endeavors during his second term as he is determined to leave not only a metaphorical but a literal mark on the nation's capital.
Elements of Trump's White House Ballroom project have been proceeding by having funds allocated from the Secret Service budget, despite some parts of it being caught up in lawsuits.
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