EXCLUSIVE: Trump Hit With Emergency Bid to Halt Work on His Massive Memorial Arch — as Opponents Race to Stop Construction
President Donald Trump's Independence Arch project is facing an emergency bid to halt construction.
Sept. 4 2026, Published 7:55 p.m. ET
President Trump has been hit with an emergency court bid seeking to halt work on his massive planned memorial arch in Washington, D.C., RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, opponents of the president's proposed "Independence Arch" filed a motion for a temporary restraining order on Friday, September 4, asking a federal judge to block the administration from taking any steps toward construction at Memorial Circle.
Emergency Bid to Freeze Arch Construction
Trump's arch project is facing an emergency legal roadblock.
Plaintiffs Michael Lemmon, Shaun Byrnes, Jon Gundersen and Calder Loth are asking the court to restrain Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the Executive Office of the President and the National Park Service from moving forward with construction-related activity for 14 days.
The emergency request comes amid concerns that excavation could begin while their broader lawsuit remains pending.
The plaintiffs argue the administration cannot legally proceed without congressional authorization, designation by Congress of an official project sponsor, and compliance with other statutory and regulatory requirements.
Doug Burgum's Comments Sparks Fury
Opponents want all Memorial Circle work stopped.
Their filing asks the court to preserve the status quo long enough to rule on pending summary judgment motions or establish a briefing schedule for a preliminary injunction.
The latest court fight erupted just hours after Burgum publicly touted forthcoming work tied to the arch project, prompting fears work could begin before the dispute is resolved. The plaintiffs claim the administration's plans also conflict with an earlier agreement entered in the case.
According to their filing, the National Park Service previously agreed to provide at least 14 days' notice on the court docket before construction – or demolition in preparation for construction – begins.
A Violation of Federal Requirements?
Trump has pushed the arch as a major Washington landmark.
The challengers now argue Burgum's recent comments suggest the administration may be preparing to move faster than that framework allows. The case, filed in February, targets Trump's ambitious plan for a monumental arch near Memorial Circle, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The plaintiffs – who include veterans, diplomats and a historic preservation expert – allege the project is being advanced in violation of federal requirements governing commemorative works, historic preservation and environmental review.
Their lawsuit cites the Commemorative Works Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and National Environmental Policy Act.
Historic Viewshed at Center of Fight
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The fight also centers on Arlington's historic viewshed.
They also argue the proposed structure could dramatically alter the historic viewshed connecting Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
Trump has promoted the arch as a major landmark tied to his broader effort to reshape and expand prominent federal spaces in the nation's capital. But the sweeping proposal has become the center of an escalating federal court fight.
The emergency filing now puts that question squarely back before the judge, with opponents asking the court to intervene before any physical work begins.
