Kennedy family sues to halt Trump administration's proposed gilded arch at Arlington

Nine members of the Kennedy family have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, asking a federal judge to block a planned 250-foot gilded arch near Arlington National Cemetery. The complaint argues that the arch, topped with a winged figure reminiscent of Lady Liberty, would obstruct the sightline to the Kennedy gravesites and alter the experience of visitors to the memorial.

"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," said plaintiffs Rory Kennedy and Maxwell Kennedy in a statement.

The family contends that the structure would permanently diminish the memorials and block the view between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, which were designed to face each other as symbols of national reunification after the Civil War. They assert that the National Park Service and the Interior Department authorized construction without the congressional approval required by law.

A federal judge previously ordered a 14-day pause on any construction work on the arch. The Justice Department has indicated that the project would not be completed until after the end of President Donald Trump's second term. The Kennedys are seeking a court order to set aside the authorization and halt construction.