Trump Plans Military Complex Inside Washington Triumphal Arch

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that his planned triumphal arch near Washington will also serve as a military complex equipped to house drones, snipers and ammunition, adding a national security role to the controversial monument.

Trump said on social media that he agreed to the change at the “strong request” of the military. The proposed 250-foot (76-meter) arch would provide space to store and rapidly deploy drones while accommodating snipers on its roof and plaza areas. Sniper ammunition would also be stored at the facility.

The president did not identify specific security threats that prompted the proposal. A U.S. military official said the Defense Department had nothing to add beyond Trump’s statement.

The arch, modeled on Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, is planned near Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from Washington. Trump initially proposed the monument to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary.

The project is part of a broader effort by Trump to reshape prominent areas of Washington. Other initiatives include a roughly $400 million White House ballroom complex, renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and redevelopment of a golf course in East Potomac Park.

Trump has also described the ballroom as a national security project, with plans reportedly including bomb shelters, drone facilities and other defensive infrastructure.

Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, questioned the military justification for the arch, noting that Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall is only about one mile away and the Pentagon roughly two miles away.

The project is also facing legal challenges. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan recently ordered the Trump administration to provide 48 hours’ notice before conducting activity at the proposed site.

Critics have raised concerns about the monument’s impact on historic sightlines and aviation safety near Reagan Washington National Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration, however, said the structure would not create an aircraft hazard if topped with an “eternal flame.”

Democratic Representative Don Beyer, whose district includes Arlington National Cemetery, argued that operating drones near the airport would pose safety and practical concerns and questioned the administration’s national security rationale.