Virginia and D.C. sue to block construction of Trump arch

The District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia filed a joint lawsuit on Saturday morning seeking a temporary restraining order to block the construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch. The jurisdictions described the project as legally indefensible and fragrantly unlawful due to a lack of congressional authorization.

Officials stated that their residents would face irreparable injuries if work begins, including environmental degradation, local traffic disruptions, and threats to security and emergency preparations.

The National Capital Planning Commission is expected to hold a final vote on the arch's design this Thursday. According to ABC News (US), the Trump administration has indicated in court that construction could begin as early as that same day if approval is granted.

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkin has ordered both parties to communicate and reach an agreement on a proposed briefing schedule regarding the motion for a temporary restraining order by Saturday evening, according to NPR.

Brief written by urgent.news from NPR, ABC News (US), Qatar Tribune — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.