Judge questions Trump plan for ‘Independence Arch’ near the National Mall

By Mike Scarcella

WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Washington on Thursday sharply questioned President Donald Trump's authority to erect a monumental commemorative arch near the National Mall, pressing a government lawyer on whether the project would sidestep Congress and violate federal law.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan at a hearing weighed a request for an injunction to halt the project in a lawsuit brought by Washington-area residents. The plaintiffs argue that allowing construction to proceed would cause irreversible harm to a protected historic landscape in the heart of the capital.

Chutkan focused extensively on public statements from Trump and the White House suggesting the arch is intended to be completed in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary this summer. The administration has estimated the arch would be about 250 feet tall, exceeding the height of the Lincoln Memorial and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

“The president has said he’s getting his arch,” Chutkan said, contrasting those remarks with a sworn statement from a federal agency official asserting the project remains in a “conceptual stage.”

Chutkan repeatedly pressed Justice Department lawyer Bradley Craigmyle on whether she should disregard Trump’s public comments. Craigmyle urged the judge to rely instead on the official position of the National Park Service, which oversees the land where the arch would be built.

Chutkan did not immediately rule on the request for an injunction. She asked the government and the plaintiffs to submit a report by Friday on whether the White House will agree not to begin construction without National Park Service approval and compliance with congressional and other requirements.

The judge also said she was considering ordering a White House official to provide additional information about the project, including whether any permits have been sought or contracts considered.

The hearing came two days after a different federal judge in Washington ordered a halt to construction of Trump’s planned 90,000‑square‑foot ballroom at the White House, built on the site of the former East Wing demolished last year. The administration has appealed that ruling.

The plaintiffs filed their lawsuit in February, seeking to block planning and construction of the arch, which has not yet begun. They say Congress must approve any major new structure on federally administered land in the District of Columbia.

The Justice Department has argued that Congress authorized large structures at the planned site decades ago and delegated authority to the National Park Service to modify their design.

Chutkan appeared skeptical at Thursday's hearing, suggesting that the earlier authorization did not contemplate a monumental arch.

The case is Michael Lemmon et al v. Donald J. Trump et al, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, No. 1:26-cv-00544-TSC.

For plaintiff: Nicolas Sansone of Public Citizen

For defendant: Bradley Craigmyle of the Justice Department