WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday established specific deadlines for notifications, complicating President Donald Trump’s plans to proceed with constructing a memorial arch. The decision requires multiple agencies to report any progress promptly before construction can start.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s plans, stipulated that the National Capital Planning Commission must inform her of any decisions within an hour. This same requirement applies to the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior. These agencies are integral to the process outlined in the administration’s official court notice from October 28, awaiting final construction approval on November 5.
The government’s notification stated, “NPS may publish such notice as early as November 5, 2026, and construction could commence as early as November 5, 2026.” The document remains conditional on the Interior Department’s final authorization allowing construction.
Judge Chutkan, appointed by President Barack Obama, further instructed: “Defendants shall also provide notice within thirty minutes of any activity related to or in preparation for the construction of an arch on Memorial Circle. Defendants are reminded that any construction or demolition in preparation for construction before the National Park Service issues final agency action authorizing construction or without 14 days’ notice would be a violation of the court’s previous orders.”
This decision follows a series of legal maneuvers over the weekend. Judge Chutkan is considering a preliminary injunction from a lawsuit filed by three Vietnam veterans and an architectural historian. The District of Columbia and Virginia have also filed separate lawsuits against the construction, seeking a temporary restraining order. The cases have been consolidated, with a joint briefing schedule indicating that the judge’s decision could hinge on the Planning Commission meeting.
On Friday, the government presented a detailed 106-page plan for the arch, proposing a substantial structure over 12 stories tall. The proposed arch includes a giant bronze statue of Lady Liberty, equipped with wings, a torch, and an eternal flame. Additionally, the design features an observation deck, two mezzanines, rooms for program activities, offices, a staff lounge, circular staircases, elevators, and a “fire command center.” Plans call for significant traffic alterations, including rerouting nearby roads. Officials claim the arch will also serve a national security purpose.
During an October 30 hearing, Judge Chutkan questioned the urgency and potential harm to the government “beyond the executive’s desire to bedazzle the city” if a preliminary injunction were issued during the lawsuit. Administration attorney Robert Stander emphasized the arch’s priority status, warning that any intervention from Judge Chutkan would hinder government operations.
The memorial arch is among several initiatives that President Trump has undertaken in Washington, ranging from renovating a well-known public golf course to the possible demolition of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Charles A. Birnbaum, founding President and CEO of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, one of the groups challenging the administration, remarked that Judge Chutkan’s order sends a clear message: “The administration is learning they cannot ignore the judiciary in the way they’ve ignored the public.”
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