Trump's grand arch project hits legal roadblock

WASHINGTON: A US federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch project, casting doubt over its future just hours after a public commission approved the plan.

District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the case, ruled that the Trump administration cannot begin construction for two weeks while the court considers legal challenges to the project.

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) had voted 8-4 to approve the proposal earlier on Thursday, despite hearing hours of testimony from dozens of opponents who questioned its legality and purpose.


A major point of contention is the proposed location of the 250-foot (76-metre) structure, next to Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of hundreds of thousands of American service members. The giant arch would be considerably taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which inspired the design.