Foto: BB.LV / Трамп
One of the largest architectural projects of U.S. President Donald Trump has encountered a legal obstacle. Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan has temporarily prohibited the administration from starting construction of a giant triumphal arch in the American capital. According to the LETA agency citing AFP, the ban will remain in effect for two weeks while the court considers objections regarding the legality of the project. Several veterans, as well as the attorneys general of Washington and Virginia, have filed lawsuits to halt the construction. ### The Project Was Approved, But the Court Intervened a Few Hours Later On Thursday morning, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approved the construction of the triumphal arch by a vote of eight to four. The decision was made despite serious objections to the project. Four commission members who voted against it proposed to postpone the consideration of the issue. They pointed out that the U.S. Congress has not yet allocated funding for the construction, and legal questions remain unresolved. Additionally, there were concerns regarding statements by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about the alleged military use of the structure. However, the majority of the commission, consisting of Trump's allies, refused to delay the decision. After the project was approved, the president's administration announced its intention to immediately begin construction work. Shortly thereafter, a federal court imposed a temporary ban. ### The Arch Will Be Taller Than the Famous Parisian Monument The main disputes revolve around the location of the future arch's construction. The structure, standing 76 meters tall, is planned to be built near Arlington National Cemetery—one of the most important military memorial complexes in the U.S., where hundreds of thousands of American servicemen are buried. The famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris served as the inspiration for the project. However, the American monument is expected to significantly surpass the French one in height. For comparison, the height of the Parisian Arc de Triomphe is about 50 meters, while Trump's project envisions a structure 76 meters tall. Thus, the new arch will be approximately one and a half times taller than its French prototype. Moreover, it will tower over the Lincoln Memorial, located on the opposite bank of the Potomac River. The scale of the structure and its proximity to historical landmarks have become some of the main reasons for criticism of the project. ### Trump Aims to Change the Architectural Face of Washington The triumphal arch is just one of several large-scale projects initiated by the U.S. president to alter the appearance of the American capital. Other initiatives include the construction of a new ballroom in the White House, for which Trump ordered the demolition of an entire wing of the presidential residence. The administration also plans to renovate the reflecting pool on the National Mall and restore the historic East Potomac Golf Links. The latter project involves the cutting down of hundreds of trees. Several of these initiatives have already faced legal obstacles and public criticism. ### What Will Happen to the Triumph Arch Next? For now, construction has not been definitively canceled. The federal judge's decision only imposes a two-week ban on the start of work, necessary for the consideration of legal objections. The future of the project will depend on the court proceedings, including questions of the legality of the construction and the authority of the administration. Thus, despite the approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, the Trump administration will not be able to proceed with the erection of the monument for the time being.
