It was nearly midnight on Thursday when the National Capital Planning Commission gave President Donald Trump the vote he wanted. By the time most of Washington woke up on Friday, a federal judge had taken it away, at least for now.
The commission voted 8-4 to approve the final plans for a 250-foot triumphal arch, clearing what looked like the last hurdle before construction. Within hours, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered the administration not to begin any "construction-related activity" for 14 days while the legal fight plays out.
The vote
The commission heard testimony for roughly eight to nine and a half hours, depending on the account, with scores of veterans, lawmakers and residents speaking against the project. It had received more than 1,300 public comments, most of them opposed. Trump appointed the commission's chair, and NPR described the panel as packed with administration allies.
The vote broke along federal and local lines. Federal members backed the arch, and the representatives of the District of Columbia opposed it.
"This arch would dishonor America," Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, told the commission, calling it a tribute to Trump rather than to veterans. Virginia Rep. James Walkinshaw told protesters that if it is built, he will not stop until it is a temporary arch.
The arch
Trump first announced the arch in October 2025 to mark the country's 250th anniversary. It is modeled on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which stands 164 feet. Trump reportedly favored the largest design, at 250 feet.
It would stand in Memorial Circle, the roundabout on the Virginia side of the Potomac near Memorial Bridge, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. Renderings show a white structure topped by a gilded statue and inscribed with the words "One Nation Under God." The administration has not given an official cost. Axios estimated it could reach $100 million.
The legal fight
The lawsuits began months ago. In February, three Vietnam War veterans, Michael Lemmon, Shaun Byrnes and Jon Gundersen, and an architectural historian, Calder Loth, sued with the help of Public Citizen. They argue that Trump did not get approval from Congress, that the project violates the Commemorative Works Act and that it would block the historic view between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House.
In April, Chutkan declined to block the project. Then in late October, Virginia and the District of Columbia filed their own suit, which landed with her too. She consolidated the cases, and this week she ordered the government to tell her within an hour of any commission vote and to give 30 minutes' notice of any construction preparations.
The Justice Department called the plaintiffs' requests "breathless" and urged her to follow the Supreme Court's decision in the White House ballroom case. The plaintiffs said their arguments are different. In a filing Wednesday night, the administration said a construction company "may be — but is not necessarily" arranging off-site preparations in anticipation of a permit. Administration officials had said work could begin within a day of the vote.
What the judge did
Chutkan's order was short. It bars construction-related activity for 14 days and says she will explain her reasoning in a forthcoming opinion. CBS News described it as siding, for now, with the veterans, D.C. and Virginia. It is a temporary restraining order, not a final ruling on whether the arch can be built.
What happens next
- About November 19: The 14-day order runs out unless she extends it or issues a preliminary injunction, which the plaintiffs have requested.
- Her opinion: Chutkan said she will explain her reasoning in writing, which should show how she is weighing the congressional-approval argument.
- An appeal: The administration could ask a higher court to lift the order.
- The ballroom precedent: The Justice Department is leaning on the White House ballroom ruling, so how the court treats that comparison will matter.
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Sources: Associated Press, CBS News, NPR, The Washington Post, The Hill, CNBC, Forbes, Axios and Public Citizen coverage, November 5-6, 2026. Developments can change quickly. Last updated: November 6, 2026.
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