Judge skeptical of administration's defense of Trump's proposed arch

A federal judge in Washington signaled doubt on Friday about the government's bid to keep a planned 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial on track. U. S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan heard arguments on whether to halt construction while a lawsuit by three Vietnam veterans and a historian proceeds. The plaintiffs say the project was hurried and never got proper congressional approval. Chutkan said the threshold question is whether they have standing, noting that the Supreme Court recently found plaintiffs challenging the White House ballroom likely lacked it, according to CBS News.

Veterans Michael Lemmon and Shaun Byrnes described personal harm. Lemmon said the arch would degrade his walks to the graves of fellow service members, while Byrnes said he would rethink burial at Arlington. Justice Department attorney Robert Stander urged dismissal and said the challengers could return once building starts, which court filings say could be as early as Nov. 5.

Chutkan pressed him on who is paying and on national-security claims, first offered Wednesday and backed by declarations from Pete Hegseth and Markwayne Mullin. She noted the arch would not be finished for three years and said national security is not a magic word.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at CBS News →