Federal judge issues 14-day restraining order on any construction work on Washington monument, hours after it was approved by planning commission

A federal judge has halted construction work on Donald Trump’s towering triumphal arch for 14 days, a major setback for one of the president’s most prominent projects in his vision to remake Washington.

The temporary restraining order was issued by US district judge Tanya Chutkan in the early hours of Friday. It followed a series of steps taken on Thursday by the government, including the final approval of the 250-foot-high (76-meter) arch by the National Capital Planning Commission in an 8-4 vote after a nine-hour hearing where dozens of witnesses opposed the construction.

Triumphal arch continues to face legal challenges as government says DC area project will take up to 39 months

The US justice department said on Tuesday that Donald Trump’s proposed 250ft (76 meter) triumphal arch in Washington would not be completed until after the end of his second term.

If it is given ⁠the go-ahead, the ⁠justice department said it ​expected an initial six to eight months of construction focused on excavation and foundation work that could begin as soon as Thursday, with above-ground construction ⁠beginning in May 2027 at the earliest. Total construction is anticipated to take 33 to 39 months, the government said.