US court blocks Trump's gigantic Arc de Triomphe project

Federal District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the case, ruled that the Trump administration cannot begin construction of the monument for two weeks while the court considers challenges to its legality.

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approved the project on Thursday, by 8 votes to 4, despite having heard for hours the testimonies of dozens of opponents who questioned its validity and purpose.

The main complaint is the location of the 76-meter-high structure: next to the venerable Arlington National Cemetery, the place where hundreds of thousands of American military personnel were buried.

The gigantic monument would be significantly larger than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, from which it is inspired. It would also be larger than the Lincoln Memorial across the Potomac River.

The four commissioners who voted against the project requested a delay in the decision, citing legal concerns, the lack of an appropriation approved by Congress to finance the project and doubts about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's statements about the bow's military use.

But the majority of the panel, controlled by Trump allies, voted against the delay and the government said its goal was to begin work immediately.

Chutkan's decision is in line with the views of military veterans and the attorneys general of Washington and Virginia, who had filed suit to block the arch's construction.

Since his return to the White House in January 2025, Trump has encouraged construction and renovation projects to impose his brand on Washington.

Among the most famous works is a ballroom in the White House, for which the Republican tycoon had an entire wing of the presidential mansion demolished.

The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the plaintiff in the action filed to stop the project did not have standing.

Another important project is the renovation of the reflecting pool on the National Mall. Trump also proposed renovating the East Potomac Golf Links, a historic Washington golf course, by cutting down hundreds of trees, but a judge halted the project.