Kennedy Family Seeks to Join Lawsuit Against Trump's 250-Foot Arch

Nine members of the Kennedy family have asked a federal judge for permission to join a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery, CBS News reported Tuesday.

The family members argue that the structure would cast shadows over family gravesites and interfere with the sightline from President John F. Kennedy's Eternal Flame memorial toward the Lincoln Memorial. Their filing seeks to intervene as plaintiffs in the case brought by Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

The request is a new step in an existing legal fight, not a ruling admitting the family members to the case or a final decision on the project.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan previously blocked construction-related activity for 14 days while the legal challenge proceeds. Opponents contend that the administration did not follow the required approval process.

The government disputes those claims and argues that the challengers lack standing. The administration says the arch would commemorate 250 years of American independence and has said it expects to prevail in court.

The proposed site is a traffic circle across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. The Justice Department declined to comment on the Kennedy filing when contacted by CBS News.