Kennedy family sues to block Trump's arch that would cast shadow on JFK's grave

Members of the Kennedy family have launched legal action to stop the building of an arch at the entrance of Arlington National Cemetery, claiming the structure would obstruct views of John F. Kennedy’s gravesite. The project recently received authorisation from the National Capital Planning Commission last week.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan has ordered a 14-day delay on any construction activities while the legal challenge proceeds. The Kennedy family’s complaint is part of a collective lawsuit involving the state of Virginia and Washington DC, which aims to halt the development due to its impact on historically significant sightlines.

The legal action includes seven children of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, alongside their grandson, former Democrat congressman Joe Kennedy, and Edward Kennedy Jr, the son of Ted Kennedy. Notably, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a member of the Trump cabinet and head of the Department of Health and Human Services, is not a party to the suit.

The group is seeking to join two existing lawsuits brought by veterans and conservationists attempting to block the project. The plaintiffs argued that the arch would represent a "permanent denigration" of the gravesites and stated that the Kennedy offspring "would never again be able to appreciate both sites as they always have before, and as the Kennedy family always intended".