JFK's Family Takes on Donald Trump Over 'Gold-Plated' Arlington Arch That Could Cast Shadow Over Former President's Grave
The family says the arch could cast shadows over the graves of JFK, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and other relatives.
Nov. 11 2026, Published 12:03 p.m. ET
Nine members of the Kennedy family are seeking to stop President Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, arguing that the towering monument would cast shadows over family graves and interfere with historic views of the nation's capital.
The relatives filed a motion on Tuesday, November 10, asking to join two existing federal lawsuits challenging the project.
They argue that the Trump administration failed to obtain the congressional approval required under federal law before moving forward with the proposed structure.
The dispute has gained urgency after a federal judge temporarily blocked construction, giving the court time to consider the legal challenges.
The Kennedys also argue that the monument would permanently change the setting surrounding the graves of several prominent family members, including former President John F. Kennedy.
Judge Orders 14-Day Pause on Trump's Arlington Arch
The motion includes seven children of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, Joe Kennedy III and Edward Kennedy Jr.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order on November 5, preventing the administration from beginning construction-related work on the arch for 14 days.
The ruling came shortly after the National Capital Planning Commission voted 8-4 to approve the proposal. The legal challenges were brought by Washington, D.C., Virginia, Vietnam War veterans and a historic preservationist, who argue that the project was not properly authorized.
The Kennedy family's motion seeks permission to participate in the existing cases rather than pursue the dispute separately. The relatives are asking the court to overturn the federal authorization and prevent construction from proceeding.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle criticized the family's involvement, calling it "unfortunate" that some Kennedys had joined the opposition.
He said the project was designed to honor military heroes buried at Arlington and accused opponents of using the courts to politicize a monument intended to unite the country.
Kennedy Family Cites Graves and Memorials
An analysis cited in the complaint says the arch’s shadow could reach Arlington burial sites on 284 days a year.
The nine relatives include seven children of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, their grandson, and Edward M. Kennedy Jr., the son of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not join the legal action.
The family argues that the proposed structure would interfere with views of the Kennedy gravesites and the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame from Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Robert and Ethel Kennedy, President Kennedy and his brother Edward are buried near one another at the cemetery. Their brother Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., who died while serving in World War II, is also memorialized there.
The filing cites a Washington Post analysis estimating that the arch's shadow would reach burial sites throughout Arlington on 284 days a year.
The analysis also found that the structure would shade JFK's memorial on 50 days and obscure the Eternal Flame for brief periods on 18 days.
Rory and Maxwell Kennedy said the family believes the project would damage a place of national significance. They also argued that congressional protections governing memorials and commemorative works should be respected.
Historic Sightlines at Issue
The complaint says the shadow could cover the JFK memorial 50 days yearly and briefly block the Eternal Flame 18 days.
The relatives argue that the arch would disrupt the historic view connecting the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, a sightline intended to symbolize national reconciliation following the Civil War.
The proposed monument would stand approximately 250 feet tall at Memorial Circle, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
Its design features gold ornamentation and gray granite, with a scale that opponents say is inappropriate for the historically significant location.
The administration has also disputed concerns about the cemetery's exposure to the arch's shadow. The Interior Department said its own modeling found that only a limited area would be affected after the cemetery opens, for less than two weeks annually.
That assessment differs from The Washington Post's analysis, which examined the structure's shadow throughout the year.
Project Faces Wider Scrutiny
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Plaintiffs argue federal agencies authorized the project without the congressional approval required under the Commemorative Works Act.
The proposed arch is part of Trump's broader effort to leave his mark on Washington as the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary. Other projects associated with his plans for the capital have also drawn criticism and legal scrutiny.
For the Kennedy family, the central issue is whether the administration can proceed without the congressional authorization they say federal law requires. Their intervention request adds another prominent group to the opposition, although the court has yet to decide whether the relatives can formally join the existing litigation.
