The Trump triumphal arch proposal in Washington, D.C. would be converted into what the former president called a “military complex,” outfitted with positions for military snipers, storage for large quantities of ammunition, and the capacity to rapidly deploy drones, according to a post on his social media platform.
“At the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch… into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump triumphal arch would host snipers and drones
The planned 250-foot structure near the National Mall would “house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas,” and maintain “large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage,” he added.
The administration’s bid to place the arch between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial has drawn significant opposition. The monument would stand at roughly twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial, and more than 100,000 public comments were submitted to the National Park Service during its review of the proposal.
Legal challenges are also underway. Earlier this month, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered the government to give the court 48 hours’ notice before initiating any activity on Memorial Circle. Her order warned that construction or demolition before final authorization from the National Park Service would violate the court.
The lawsuit, filed by a group of Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian, argues the project would desecrate the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. The plaintiffs also contend the president lacks authority to proceed without congressional approval.
Chutkan’s directive followed a post by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stating the administration intended to break ground within two weeks, despite still awaiting final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission and other federal reviews. Burgum referred to the project as the “Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck.”
Trump has similarly framed a planned White House ballroom as a national security project. Speaking to reporters in March, he said “the military is building a big complex under the ballroom.” In August, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed construction of the ballroom to continue despite objections from heritage groups.
In his Sunday post, Trump added that “there will be no facility like this anywhere in the World,” and said Washington, D.C., is the only one among “59 top cities and Capitals” without a triumphal arch, asserting this one would be “by far, the greatest of them all.” For more on debates over the scope of presidential power, see Impeach Trump and limit future presidents, scholar says.
