President Donald Trump announced that his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington Memorial Bridge would also serve as a military security facility equipped to house drones, snipers and ammunition, adding a national-security mission to a project still awaiting final federal approval.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that his proposed triumphal arch near Arlington Memorial Bridge will be designed to serve a national-security function as well as a monumental one, with plans to accommodate military drones, sniper positions and ammunition storage.

Construction of the 250-foot structure has not begun, and the project has received only preliminary approval from the National Capital Planning Commission. Trump nevertheless said the military had requested that the design incorporate an operational security facility.

“At the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch, planned since the Civil War Era many years ago, at the Receptive Circle adjoining the Arlington Memorial Bridge, into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch, to house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage,” Trump announced Sunday.

The project is officially proposed for Memorial Circle on Columbia Island at the western end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The NCPC approved preliminary site and building plans July 9 but required additional issues to be addressed before final consideration.

Trump said the military component would be unlike any comparable facility elsewhere.

“There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World. 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! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he concluded in the statement describing the project.

Trump has promoted the idea since October 2025, envisioning a monumental arch approximately 250 feet tall near the ceremonial route connecting Washington and Arlington National Cemetery.

The Department of the Interior, which submitted the proposal, said in its project materials that the structure is intended to “celebrate the triumphs of the American people, inspire patriotism and love of country, and beautify our nation’s capital.”

The NCPC’s preliminary approval describes the proposed structure as a “New Monumental Arch” with an overall height of 250 feet from its base to the top of its statuary. Commissioners said the location requires consideration of historic preservation, transportation, the visitor experience and Washington’s broader monumental landscape.

Trump’s Sunday announcement substantially expands the stated purpose of the project.

Rather than functioning solely as a civic monument, the president now says it would include areas from which military personnel could deploy drones rapidly, sniper positions on the roof and plaza levels, and storage for sniper ammunition.

Reuters reported that Trump said the conversion came at the military’s request, although his statement did not identify a specific security threat or provide operational details regarding which military branch would staff the site, how the drones would be used or what security restrictions would surround the facility.

The announcement comes while the arch remains within the federal planning and review process.

The NCPC granted preliminary approval in July but has not issued final site and building approval. The agency’s project record continues to list the July 9 action as preliminary approval “with comments to be addressed prior to final review.”

Earlier reporting on the project’s approval process noted that multiple federal bodies would have roles in reviewing the proposal.

The National Capital Planning Commission, the federal government’s central planning agency for the Washington region, is currently chaired by Mark Paoletta.

Trump appointed Paoletta on Aug. 26 as an at-large commissioner and chairman after William Scharf stepped down from the post. Paoletta also serves as general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget and heads its Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The NCPC announced the appointment Aug. 31.

Scharf left the commission after Trump selected him to become White House counsel, with the transition taking effect in early September.

The NCPC’s next scheduled meeting is Oct. 1. Its currently available meeting agenda and submission materials do not show the monumental arch scheduled for final approval at that meeting. The commission’s project page likewise shows no final action on the proposal as of Sunday.

The project is also the subject of ongoing federal litigation.

Three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian filed suit in February seeking to stop construction. They are represented by Public Citizen, an advocacy organization that works on consumer protection, government accountability and public-interest litigation.

The plaintiffs argue in their federal complaint that construction at Memorial Circle would violate federal requirements because Congress has not authorized a commemorative work at the site. They also object to the arch’s effect on the historic visual relationship between the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery.

According to Public Citizen, the veterans contend that the arch “would dishonor their military and foreign service and the legacy of their comrades and other veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery,” as well as “degrade their personal experience” while traveling through or viewing the ceremonial area.

Public Citizen’s political funding and affiliations have themselves been the subject of partisan criticism. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., has previously described the organization as “Soros-funded”. That description reflects Schmitt’s characterization; Public Citizen describes itself as a nonprofit public-interest organization.

The lawsuit remains open.

After the government previously agreed to provide advance notice before beginning construction, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced Sept. 3 that officials were “preparing to start, over the next two-week period, the excavation work necessary for the Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck,” according to his announcement about the planned work.

The same announcement was circulated with project footage and information.

Public Citizen returned to court after Burgum’s statement. The National Park Service subsequently said the immediate work involved archaeological excavation needed for compliance with historic-preservation requirements rather than construction of the arch itself.

The federal judge overseeing the case then ordered the government to provide 48 hours’ notice before conducting other activity at Memorial Circle and indicated that beginning construction or demolition without final National Park Service authorization and the required advance notice would violate existing court orders.

The aviation review has moved further ahead.

The Federal Aviation Administration determined this month that the proposed structure would not pose an aviation hazard if required visibility conditions are met, including illumination and an “eternal flame” marking at the top. The arch would stand about 3,000 feet from Reagan National Airport and within an area used by arriving and departing aircraft.

Trump’s latest proposal adds another dimension to the remaining federal reviews.

The structure originally advanced through the planning process as a monumental arch commemorating American achievement and the nation’s 250th anniversary. The president is now proposing that the same building function as a permanent military installation capable of supporting drone operations, armed personnel and ammunition storage.

Neither the Pentagon nor the administration had publicly released detailed operational plans Sunday explaining how the military portion would function, what security perimeter would be required or whether the redesign will require additional review by the NCPC or other agencies.

For now, the arch has preliminary planning approval but not final authorization for construction.

Trump, however, has made clear that his vision for the project has expanded beyond its original ceremonial purpose: If completed as he now proposes, the 250-foot monument approaching Washington from Arlington would also operate as a military security complex overlooking one of the most prominent ceremonial gateways to the nation’s capital.

Original article