Judge set to hear arguments today over blocking Trump’s proposed arch

October 30, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News

Washington — The Justice Department and a group of Vietnam War veterans are set to face off in a Washington, D.C., courtroom on Friday over the fate of President Trump's proposed 250-foot arch that he wants to build between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan will hear arguments over a preliminary injunction that would stop the arch's construction. Attorneys representing three Vietnam veterans and a historian who sued earlier this year to stop construction argue that the project has been rushed and lacks proper congressional approval.

According to court filings by the Justice Department from earlier this month, construction on the arch could begin as soon as Nov. 5 if the National Capital Planning Commission issues final approval of the plan the same day.

The plaintiffs pointed to that looming timeline in court papers ahead of Friday's hearing, saying "public interest leans heavily against allowing Defendants to blaze ahead." They asked Chutkan to block the project quickly before the Trump administration takes steps to begin construction "in the hope that they can render the arch a fait accompli before this Court has made a…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/world/