Members of the prominent Kennedy family have filed a legal motion to halt the construction of President Donald Trump’s 76-meter (250ft) “triumphal arch” in Washington, DC. The family argues the proposed structure would unlawfully obscure the Eternal Flame and gravesites of their relatives, including former President John F. Kennedy, at Arlington National Cemetery.

The nine plaintiffs, identified as children and grandchildren of former Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy, submitted their motion on Tuesday. They seek to join two existing federal lawsuits aimed at blocking the arch's construction. Their intervention highlights the growing opposition to the controversial monument, which has drawn criticism for its scale and location.

Attorneys for the Kennedy family contend that the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior authorized the granite and gold-ornamented structure without the necessary congressional approval. They argue that the arch would “fundamentally alter the experience of visiting the gravesites,” a site that attracts millions of visitors annually. The lawyers also stated that the project would destroy a century-old, intentionally designed line of sight between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House across the Memorial Bridge.

This high-profile intervention adds the Kennedy name to a growing list of plaintiffs challenging the monument. Previous lawsuits have been filed by Vietnam War veterans, a historian, and the governments of the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Arlington County. The legal challenges collectively argue that the arch project is an unlawful use of public land and resources.

Last week, District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary prohibition, preventing the Trump administration from commencing construction for an additional 14 days. This pause was granted in response to the mounting lawsuits. The judge’s order acknowledges the significant legal questions surrounding the project and the potential for irreparable harm.

Lawyers for the Kennedy relatives argued in their filing that building the arch would constitute a “permanent denigration” of the gravesites. They emphasized that the family members would be unable to experience the solemnity of the sites as they always have and as was originally intended by the landscape's design.

The proposed arch is part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to erect monuments across the United States. Critics have dubbed the Washington, DC structure the “Arc de Trump,” raising concerns about its ostentatious nature and its placement near nationally significant historical and memorial sites. The project's approval process has been a point of contention, with opponents questioning its adherence to standard federal land use and memorialization protocols.

As legal battles continue, the fate of the proposed arch remains uncertain. The intervention by the Kennedy family underscores the deep emotional and historical significance attached to the Arlington National Cemetery grounds and the legacy of the figures interred there. Further court proceedings are expected to clarify the legal standing of the plaintiffs and the administration's authority to proceed with the construction.