Kennedy Relatives Demand Halt to Trump's Arlington Arch

Nine children and grandchildren of Robert F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy moved to join a legal battle Tuesday, seeking a court order to stop President Donald Trump’s proposed memorial arch. The relatives argue that the massive structure would physically dominate the burial sites at Arlington National Cemetery where their fathers and President John F. Kennedy are interred.

The family members filed a motion to intervene in two lawsuits already challenging the project. They contend that the shadow cast by the 250-foot arch would fundamentally alter the experience of visiting the gravesites. Last week, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan barred the Trump administration from starting construction for 14 days.

The plaintiffs are the children and grandchildren of the two Kennedy brothers who served in the U.S. Senate. Their graves lie near the eternal flame marking the burial site of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. Together, the three memorials draw millions of visitors to Arlington each year.

Lawyers for the relatives described the proposed arch as a permanent denigration of the gravesites. They argued that construction would prevent family members from appreciating the sites as they previously had and as the Kennedy family had intended. Norm Eisen and the Democracy Defenders Fund are representing the family in the case.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who serves as Trump's health and human services secretary, did not join the lawsuit. He has a fractured relationship with many members of his family. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The administration unveiled plans for the arch on a new website last week. The design features gold ornamentation and gray granite in the area between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The proposed height is equivalent to 76 meters.

The arch is one of several projects Trump has pursued to reshape Washington. Other initiatives include renovating a storied public golf course and threatening to demolish the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. These projects may face heightened scrutiny following this week's midterm elections, in which Democrats gained control of Congress.