USA: Judge stops work on Donald Trump's triumphal arch

A judge in the US has suspended work on President Donald Trump's controversial giant triumphal arch. The ban will initially apply for two weeks while the legality of the project is examined. The city of Washington and the neighboring state of Virginia, among others, went to court against the more than 75 meter high structure.

Shortly before Judge Tanya Chutkan's decision, the capital planning commission, which was filled with Trump allies months ago, approved the construction project. In the hour-long video debate beforehand, many residents spoke out against the triumphal arch.

Bigger than Arc de Triomphe

The judge's order initially prohibits any work including the removal of the lawn in the large roundabout where the triumphal arch is to be built according to Trump's ideas. The structure is expected to be larger than the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The height is criticized, among other things, because there is a flight path to Washington's Reagan Airport nearby.

Trump initiated several controversial architectural projects in his second term. Among other things, he had the east wing of the White House demolished to build a massive ballroom. There is currently a lawsuit against this too. He also wants to have a traditional golf course in Washington rebuilt. He recently declared his own workplace a national monument.

In the election campaign before the midterms this week, the US President gave his last speech in front of the so-called Reflection Pool. The approximately 600 meter long water basin in front of the Capitol was extensively renovated and repainted following an initiative by Trump for the equivalent of around 16 million US dollars. Shortly after the renovation, however, the paint peeled off again. The building thus became a symbol of the president's excessive ostentation.