Nine members of the Kennedy family have joined a legal battle against President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, arguing that the massive structure would cast shadows over the graves of former President John F. Kennedy and other family members at Arlington National Cemetery.
The family members filed a motion in federal court on Tuesday, seeking to intervene in an existing lawsuit challenging the arch’s construction. They argue that the project would obstruct historically significant views and “fundamentally alter the experience of visiting” the gravesites.
The family also contends that the arch would damage the historic sightline connecting the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, which were designed to represent national reconciliation following the Civil War.
The nine plaintiffs include children and grandchildren of former U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, as well as Edward M. Kennedy Jr., son of former Sen. Ted Kennedy. The family gravesites are located near the eternal flame marking the resting place of the former president.
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“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,” Rory Kennedy and Maxwell Kennedy said.
The family argues that the National Park Service and the Interior Department approved the construction without obtaining the congressional authorization required for a project of this scale.
“This action is about protecting sacred spaces that belong to the American people,” the family said in a statement.
The legal challenge comes after U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary order on November 6 blocking the administration from beginning construction-related work on the arch for 14 days. The order followed an earlier lawsuit filed by the District of Columbia and Virginia challenging the legality of the project. The arch received approval from the National Capital Planning Commission on November 5.
The Trump administration maintains that the project is lawful, arguing that Congress had already authorized the construction through legislation passed more than a century ago in connection with a bridge across the Potomac River.
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“The judiciary should not be abused to politicize a structure designed to unite our nation. We will continue making the case for this beautiful and fitting monument and are confident we will be fully vindicated as this litigation proceeds,” White House spokesman Davis R. Ingle told the BBC.
Modeled on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the proposed monument is expected to stand 250 feet tall. Designs show a structure featuring extensive gold ornamentation, large stone pillars and a winged female figure resembling the Statue of Liberty at its top.
Trump has described the structure as a tribute to the 250th anniversary of American independence and the country’s military veterans. He has also discussed incorporating military facilities, including drone and ammunition storage areas, into the structure.
However, the proposal has drawn criticism from veterans, preservationists and local officials, who argue that it would disrupt the historic landscape surrounding Arlington National Cemetery.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has indicated that construction would not be completed before the end of Trump’s second term.