President Trump announced Sunday that the planned triumphal arch spanning Washington, D.C., and Virginia will be transformed into a "top grade military complex," a move he says was requested by the U.S. military for national security purposes.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he agreed to convert the arch, which has been envisioned since the Civil War era, into a facility that will "house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas," as well as store large quantities of sniper ammunition. He described the complex as unlike any "anywhere in the World."
The president also touted the arch as a historic addition to the capital, noting that Washington is "THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD" among 59 major cities and capitals without a triumphal arch. "It will now and, by far, the greatest of them all!" he wrote.
The military-focused design echoes previous statements from Trump about a "massive complex" beneath the White House ballroom. Administration lawyers have argued in court that delays in that construction constitute a national security threat, suggesting a pattern of framing infrastructure projects as security imperatives.
The arch, intended to rise 250 feet, would become the tallest in the world, surpassing the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the Monumento a la Revolución in Mexico City. It is slated for a site along the Arlington Memorial Bridge, a structure symbolizing national reunification after the Civil War.
Trump has pursued an aggressive reshaping of Washington's landmarks, including a proposed "National Garden of American Heroes" and renovations to the White House Rose Garden, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and the Kennedy Center. The arch project has also drawn scrutiny from aviation regulators.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently proposed adding a "non-standard eternal flame" to the arch to improve visibility for pilots, alongside searchlight projectors. The agency concluded Friday that the structure "would not pose a hazard to aircraft" after a safety review involving Reagan National Airport and nearby military airfields. However, the FAA noted in June that structures over 200 feet in Washington typically require lighting, though an aeronautical study could waive that requirement.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said earlier this month that work on the arch would soon begin, though it remains unclear whether excavation has started or is merely being prepared. The project continues to generate debate over its cost, symbolism, and now its militarization, as regional tensions and security concerns dominate policy discussions.
