Politics · United States · 40 mins ago
Kennedy family joins lawsuit to block Trump’s proposed arch
Nine Kennedy family members joined a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, DC, to stop President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot arch.
They argue that the arch would obstruct views of Kennedy family graves and memorials at Arlington National Cemetery.
The family says the structure would also affect views of other national landmarks and disrupt the solemnity of funerals at the cemetery.
Other opponents, including veterans and preservationists, have also challenged the project over its size and location.
The Kennedy family’s lawyers argue that Congress must authorize a project of this scale.
Trump has said he wants the arch completed before he leaves office in two years, but the project faces legal challenges.
Nine members of the Kennedy family moved to join a lawsuit seeking to block President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot arch.
They argue the arch would cast a shadow on family graves at Arlington National Cemetery and obstruct sightlines from John F. Kennedy’s gravesite.
The family’s filing was made in federal court in Washington on November 10.
The project has also faced legal challenges from veterans, a historian and local governments.
A federal judge temporarily halted construction after the project received final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission on November 5.
- Who
- Nine members of the Kennedy family, including children or grandchildren of Robert F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy.
- What
- They moved to join litigation seeking to block Trump’s planned arch.
- When
- November 10, 2026.
- Where
- Federal court in Washington; the proposed arch would stand between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
- Why
- They say the arch would cast a shadow over family graves and obstruct intended sightlines at Arlington National Cemetery.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The National Capital Planning Commission gave the arch project final approval.
A federal judge blocked construction for 14 days while legal challenges proceeded.
Nine Kennedy family members filed a motion to join litigation seeking to block the arch.
- Proposed arch
- 250 feet (76 metres) tall
- Kennedy family motion
- Nine members
- Filing date
- November 10, 2026
- Proposed location
- Between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery
- Temporary construction halt
- 14 days
4 sources
What people are saying
A towering arch casting shadows across the graves of our father, mother and uncles, as well as the graves of so many who have served our country, would also cast a shadow over our democratic principles, undermining the safeguards established by our elected representatives to protect this hallowed ground for generations to come
President Donald J. Trump is attempting to unlawfully erect a massive arch that will permanently cast shadows over and damage historically significant sightlines to the existing gravesites and memorials established in the Kennedy family’s honor at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as to the memorials of hundreds of thousands of fallen American heroes
The gigantic proposed arch is an illegal interference with Arlington National Cemetery and the heroes remembered there, including at the gravesites and memorials of the Kennedy brothers and Ethel Kennedy. Only Congress has the constitutional power to authorize an intrusion of this magnitude