Judge Tanya Chutkan slaps tight leash on Trump administration over massive 12-story DC arch

A federal judge has imposed tight notification requirements on the Trump administration before any work can start on a planned memorial arch in Washington.U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing a lawsuit challenging the administration's plans, issued the order on Monday She said she must be told of any decision by the National Capital Planning Commission within an hour.The same time limits apply to any decision by the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior.A judge has complicated President Donald Trump’s efforts to plow forward on construction of a memorial arch, setting multiple notification deadlines before any work can begin (AP)All three bodies are part of a process the administration laid out when it notified the court of its plans on Oct. 28, pending the National Capital Planning Commission's approval of the construction on Nov. 5.The government's notice said construction could begin once that approval was finished, the Interior Department issued a final decision authorizing construction, and the proper notification was published. “NPS may publish such notice as early as November 5, 2026, and construction could commence as early as November 5, 2026,” the notice said.Chutkan, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, said “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.”During the midterm election cycle, Trump was mocked by former President Barack Obama for his obsession with renovation projects (Getty)The motion is the latest development in a flurry of court activity over the weekend. Chutkan was already considering a preliminary injunction in the lawsuit filed by three Vietnam veterans and an architectural historian. The District of Columbia and Virginia then filed a separate lawsuit opposing the construction and seeking a temporary restraining order.The judge consolidated the cases and set up a joint briefing schedule, indicating that her decision will likely follow the Planning Commission meeting. The government submitted a 106-page plan for the arch on Friday. The plan envisions a massive structure more than 12 stories high.It includes a huge bronze statue of Lady Liberty with wings, carrying a torch with an eternal flame. The structure would also include an observation deck with views to the east and west, an “occupied roof” and two mezzanines. Inside the arch are rooms for program space, offices, a staff lounge, circular staircases, multiple elevators and a “fire command center.”The project proposes significant traffic changes in the area, including rerouting traffic on nearby roads.Administration officials have said the arch will also have a national security function.