Trump says arch will become military complex

President Trump said Sunday he has agreed to convert plans for a 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery into a “top grade Military Complex,” adding new security functions to a monument already drawing scrutiny over its location, height and effect on the capital’s historic landscape.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the change came “at the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes.” He described the project as a “Military Complex/Triumphal Arch” at the traffic circle adjoining Arlington Memorial Bridge, across the Potomac River from Washington.

The structure, expected to break ground this month, is planned to be clad in granite, topped with three golden statues and built with an observation deck. Trump said the redesigned arch would “house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas,” along with “large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage.”

“There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote.

The administration has tied the arch to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year. Trump has said Washington should have a triumphal arch comparable to those in other capitals. “Out of the 59 top cities and Capitals, Washington, D.C., IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD THAT DOES NOT HAVE A TRIUMPHAL ARCH, but it will now and, by far, the greatest of them all!” he wrote Sunday.

The proposal has faced criticism because of its setting near some of Washington’s most recognizable memorial corridors. The arch would sit close to Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial, raising concerns that a 250-foot structure could interrupt sightlines between major monuments and historic properties. The Guardian reported that the National Park Service warned last week that the project could have “adverse effects to historic properties” and called for additional planning before construction begins.

The site’s proximity to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has also raised questions from Democratic members of Congress, who warned that the arch could complicate an already congested and sensitive airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration determined Friday that the structure poses no hazard to flights arriving at and departing from the nearby airport.

The arch is part of a broader push by Trump to reshape prominent federal sites in Washington. The Guardian reported that other projects include the creation of a White House ballroom, refurbishment of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial and renovation of the Kennedy Center. Those projects have drawn criticism, legal challenges and structural concerns, according to the newspaper.

Trump has also described the White House ballroom as a “military complex,” The Guardian reported. That project had been tied up in legal disputes until the U.S. Supreme Court said last month it could proceed. The newspaper also reported that Trump has suggested he might demolish the Kennedy Center after courts blocked the addition of his name to its title.

For now, the arch project remains on track for excavation and initial construction this month, with Trump presenting the revised plan as both a monument and a military facility at one of the most visible gateways between Washington and Arlington.