Judge orders 48-hour notice before Trump DC arch Memorial Circle work

More than 100,000 comments submitted to Park Service arch review

A federal judge this month ordered the Trump administration to provide 48 hours’ notice before moving forward with any activity on Memorial Circle, responding to a lawsuit by a group of Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian who are seeking to halt construction of the proposed 250-foot Washington, D.C. triumphal arch.

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkin’s order warned that any construction or demolition before the National Park Service issues final authorization would be a violation of the court. The plaintiffs allege the arch would desecrate the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. The plaintiffs also claim the president does not have the authority to build the arch without approval from Congress.

The arch is planned between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial and would stand twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial. More than 100,000 people submitted comments to the National Park Service as part of its review of the arch proposal.

Chutkin’s order came the day after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum wrote on X that the administration planned to break ground on an arch within two weeks, despite still awaiting final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission and other federal reviews.

President Trump announced the proposed arch in a Truth Social post, writing that it would be converted into a “military complex” housing snipers on the roof and plaza, drones for rapid use and large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage.

“At the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch… into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch,” Trump wrote on the social media platform.

Trump added that the structure near the National Mall would “house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage.”

In his post, Trump framed the project as filling what he identified as a global architectural gap. “There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World. Out of the 59 top cities and Capitals, Washington, D.C., 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!” he wrote.