Trump Says DC Triumphal Arch Will Double as Military Complex

President Donald Trump says the triumphal arch he has proposed for Washington, DC will also function as a military complex, housing drones, snipers, and stockpiles of sniper ammunition. Trump announced the change in a post on his social media platform on Sunday, saying the addition was made at the request of the military and for "National Security purposes," according to Al Jazeera.

The announcement adds a new layer to a project that has already drawn lawsuits, congressional objections, and a federal judge's order for advance notice before construction begins. Trump first proposed the arch last year to mark 250 years of American independence, comparing it to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris but pledging his version would be "the biggest one of all," Al Jazeera reported.

What did Trump say the arch will now hold?

According to Trump's post, cited by Al Jazeera, the structure will be built to "house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas," and to "hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage." Trump did not release updated architectural plans or specify how the military functions would be integrated into the arch's design, and he offered no further detail on the change beyond the social media post, per the outlet.

Where would the arch sit, and why does that matter?

The arch has been planned near some of the most visited landmarks in the capital, in a location that would sit between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. That sightline is central to the objections raised in a lawsuit filed in February by three Vietnam War veterans, who argued the arch would obstruct a view they described in a court filing as "carefully designed to symbolise the unification of the country after the Civil War and the strength of a united nation," Al Jazeera reported. The suit also contends that any major new monument in that corridor requires approval from Congress, a question the courts have not yet resolved. A judge has ordered the Trump administration to give notice before any construction begins, though the larger legal challenge remains pending, according to the outlet.

What has already been approved for the design?

The Trump-appointed U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved a design for the arch in April. That version featured golden lion statues at the base, along with golden eagles and a winged angel positioned atop a baroque-style arch modeled on the one in Paris, Al Jazeera reported. The design as approved stood at a planned height of 76 meters, or 250 feet — well above the general height restrictions that apply to new construction in Washington, DC. It is not clear from Trump's Sunday post whether the military storage functions would require altering that approved design or seeking a new round of review.

How does this fit with Trump's other changes to DC landmarks?

The arch is one of several capital projects tied to Trump that have generated public pushback this year. Al Jazeera's report notes Trump has also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow a $400 million ballroom project to proceed, and has pursued plans affecting the Kennedy Center that prompted protests, including a demonstration in which demonstrators formed a human chain over a vote to close part of the facility. Taken together, the arch, the ballroom, and the Kennedy Center changes represent a broader push by the administration to reshape prominent Washington sites, each of which has drawn separate legal or public resistance, according to the outlet's reporting.

What to watch

• Whether the Trump administration files updated design plans reflecting the drone and sniper storage function with the Commission of Fine Arts.
• How the pending Vietnam veterans' lawsuit over the Arlington sightline proceeds, and whether a court rules on the underlying question of congressional approval.
• Whether the Supreme Court acts on the administration's request to let the $400 million ballroom project move forward.
• Any formal notice to the court, as previously ordered, ahead of construction activity on the arch site.

Glossary

• Triumphal arch: A freestanding monumental structure, traditionally built to commemorate a military or historic victory; the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is a well-known example.
• U.S. Commission of Fine Arts: A federal agency that reviews the design of public buildings and monuments in Washington, DC, and whose members are appointed by the president.
• Sightline/view corridor: A protected line of visual connection between landmarks, in this case the view between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery cited in the veterans' lawsuit.

The full account of Trump's announcement and the surrounding legal and design history is available from Al Jazeera.