Nine members of Kennedy family sue to block construction of Trump’s arch

Members of the Kennedy family have joined a lawsuit to block construction of US President Donald Trump’s Independence Arch in Washington DC, saying they are concerned it could mar family gravesites.

The arch is part of Mr Trump’s plan to leave his mark on the US capital, which so far has included renovations to the White House’s east wing, the construction of a new golf course and work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The arch is planned to be 76 metres tall and would also serve as a “top-grade military complex”according to the president.

He said it would “house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage”.

The development has faced legal action, and now the children and grandchildren of Robert F Kennedy and Edward M Kennedy have added their family’s name to the legal challenge against its construction.

The Democracy Defenders Fund, a group pursuing several legal challenges against Mr Trump’s administration and representing the Kennedy family members behind the lawsuit, said the arch could affect the nearby resting place of several family members as well as the John F Kennedy Eternal Flame.

In the filing, the complainants argued the arch’s location on Memorial Circle in Washington DC would obstruct “a line of sight that was designed to represent the unification of the nation following the Civil War that has existed for nearly a century”.

“That will also obstruct the clear sightline of the Kennedy Gravesites and JFK Eternal Flame in Arlington National Cemetery, from the Arlington Memorial Bridge, destroying an essential element of the Gravesites’ design; and will permanently cast a shadow over the graves of servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, including the Kennedy Gravesites,” they said.

Rory Kennedy and Maxwell Kennedy, speaking on behalf of the family, said their legal action was about “protecting sacred spaces that belong to the American people”.

“Our parents, Robert and Ethel Kennedy, and our uncles, President John F Kennedy and Senator Edward M Kennedy, are laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery,” they said.

“Our uncle Joseph P Kennedy Jr, who lost his life serving our country in World War II, is also memorialised there.”

Rory and Maxwell Kennedy were also among 15 Kennedy family members who endorsed Joe Biden’s 2024 presidential campaign over Robert Kennedy Jr, who currently serves as Secretary of Health in Mr Trump’s cabinet.

“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.”

Former Obama administration ethics watchdog and Democracy Defenders Fund co-founder Norm Eisen called the “gigantic” proposed arch an illegal interference with the cemetery.

“Only Congress has the constitutional power to authorise an intrusion of this magnitude,” Mr Eisen said.

“Today, members of the Kennedy family are joining with the other litigants in this case to protect this historic site, and to defend the rule of law and separation of powers.”

The National Capital Planning Commission approved final site and building plans for the arch on November 5.

A judge has already issued a temporary order blocking construction until November 19 as she considers whether to issue a preliminary injunction, according to Reuters.

Numerous Democrats in Congress have vowed to block construction once they take control in January, after winning November’s midterm elections.