Kennedys sue to block Trump's arch near JFK gravesite
The gist
Nine Kennedy family members moved to join a federal lawsuit to block Trump's 250-foot arch near Arlington gravesites.
The arch would shadow the JFK grave and block a Civil War reunification sightline.
How it unfolded
- Nov 2, 2026Speaking at an event on improvements to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Trump said the arch could house drones and snipers and would be "right smack in the middle of everything, so very important for our military."
- Nov 5, 2026U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan temporarily blocked construction for 14 days, preemptively barring any work at the Memorial Circle between the cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
- Nov 10, 2026Nine Kennedy family members filed a motion to intervene in federal court in Washington, D.C., joining Vietnam War veterans, the District of Columbia and Virginia as plaintiffs.
Key terms
- motion to intervene
- A legal request by a nonparty to join an ongoing lawsuit, either as a right or at the court's discretion.
- preliminary and permanent injunction
- A court order requiring a party to do or stop doing a specific act.
- plaintiffs
- A plaintiff is the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court.
Source: Wikipedia